Jane Watt suggested looking at Donald Judd to research his use of colour, especially the more subtle use of colour with his vertical stacks of metal or wood combined with the perspex panels which changes the dynamics of the piece; of each object as a singular item in comparison with the work as a whole.
I’ve really taken an interest in his work, where before, I didn’t see too much in it. I suppose that’s what happens when your work develops.
Really, a lot of my work now revolves around the process of arranging things, or ordering them, and seeing how the singular pieces (wood panels) work with each other, and how they need to be presented alongside each other and ultimately, how they will be presented in a space.
The first picture shows some of my work in “the white space.” I had this space for a good couple of weeks, and at first I was arranging the works I’d already done to fit here, but towards the end of the time I had there, I found I was influenced more by the space than by anything else. I ended up making work that was destined for that space only. And I actually liked the work, which hadn’t been happening previously. The colours became pared down, the surfaces were blocked in, I became a minimalist.
And I started liking Judd.
“He was drawn to space. Defining space became a main interest, which to him meant creating the delineation of volume..A great number of sophisticated works were designed and fabricated, mostly in metal, whose properties were tested with works of large dimensions or works that incorporated a considerable projection from the wall. He also made these works’ materials appearances both a subject and an object of perception.” (Stockebrand, 2011:4)
Although I’m not delineating volume or space quite as much as Judd has achieved, my work is definitely taking that course. They’re no longer paintings that belong on the wall, but are sliding off the wall and into the walkable space of the viewer.
Furthermore, the tactile quality of the reclaimed wood is the secondary element I would like perceived. I want people to look closely at the surface and to touch the tar stains and bumpy, old nails. The texture is just as important as the colour and projection into space. The texture and projection make these, I hope, intimate pieces which one takes the time to consider.
“In his essay he discussed the historical development of colour and how it became independent of the subject matter to become subject matter itself, as well as its development from two to three dimensions, but he never expanded his intention to extend colour to architecture, only saying that it would. He was certainly in the midst of providing colour expansion, diversity and immediacy that are singular.” (Stockebrand, 2011:5)
Stockebrand, M, (2011) Donald Judd, The Pace Gallery
