I recently visited the home of Donald Judd, an American artist whose pieces have been associated with minimalism. I went with my Fashion As Art class at NYU, which prompted us to reflect on what the space meant in an artistic scope and we were to explore the museum wearing a lens that would lend to the class. That being said, just get yourself over there. It's incredible.
Interior design has always been a presence in my life, as my mom is an interior designer. At a young age, she was taking me to furniture stores and fabric shops while my friends were going to Chuck E. Cheese and laser-tag. When my little brother was only four years old, he was telling my aunt to take her feet off of the eggshell ottoman. I would accompany my mom to the homes of clients and feel super important whenever she would ask for my advice. For this reason, the experience of going into someone’s personal space and being able to see where and how they live their lives is such a powerful thing in my eyes. Being able to explore Judd’s place of living was special in that I’ve had this exposure to interior design from such a young age.
What I found to be most striking about Judd’s home was the lack of clutter. While I know that he was not living in his apartment in SoHo towards the end of his life, I still found it remarkable how empty the space felt. I find myself to be the type of person to hold onto material objects and grow attachments to things that are tangible and can be representative of something bigger. As a result of this, my spaces of living have always been extraordinary messes. Movie tickets from first dates are plastered on my walls, notes from my grandmother scattered in drawers, and my prom dress even tucked into the corner of my already-tiny closet. I’ve developed this mentality that where I rest and recharge needs to be filled with the things that have filled my life. To enter Judd’s home and have not the slightest idea of what he would do on any given Saturday night was surprising. He had no knick-knacks or momentos or pictures or souvenirs. The library, hidden in the corner of one of the floors, was the only space to show any of these things. There were several pictures of his family and some drawings that his kids had drawn. By limiting these personal items to that one room, I think that Judd was really able to claim his creative space. He lived with the necessities and abstained from distractions. His home was practical and beautiful in its clean surfaces and spacious layout.
During our visit at the Judd Museum, someone asked the tour guide if he was a minimalist. I was surprised by her response: slightly offended and subtly defensive. She explained that Judd did not want to be labeled as a minimalist, that his work was anything but minimal. She spoke of him wanting the power to label his own art and not having to conform to the title of minimalist. He felt that minimalism implied simplicity, which has the connotation of being less labor intensive or creative. Judd did not want his art to be viewed as simple for this reason. I find it interesting how passionate he was about that, and I was also impressed at how passionate the tour guide was in wanting to properly title his artwork when he is no longer able to himself. I appreciated how the entire tour was very mindful of what Judd would have wanted for the space. The guide did a great job voicing Judd’s thoughts and I am now able to appreciate that his art is not minimal, but complicated in the amount of thought and creativity that went into it.
Visiting Judd’s home in SoHo made me re-evaluate my own style when it comes to interior design. I have gotten to the place where I have put more value in surrounding myself with memories instead of a calming and clean atmosphere. From visiting his home, I was able to see how allowing there to be space in your home can allow for more room to be creative. He was able to create art in an efficient way, not being tainted by past events and living in the moment. Freeing myself from clutter is something that I am going to start working on. I want to live in a space that is calming and spacious and allows room to breathe. Judd’s home did just that -- his presence in the home was not overwhelming and he was able to have an environment to explore and create. I’m not saying that I will trash all of my clutter, but I will definitely be more mindful when holding onto extra brochures or business cards. This is something that I’m sure my mom will be pleased to hear. The past is just that - the past. Memories are necessary in finding a self-identity, but there is also the present and future to be considered.
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