Assume Donald Judd, and also you instantly consider the Untitled (Stack) – or Plywood, significantly for anybody who has adopted the modern design world during the last decade. Judd is a big. Most individuals know the artwork, and Twentieth-century artwork historical past could be incomplete with out his defining works and writings on the vernacular and, albeit reluctantly, minimalism. Now, 1 / 4 of the way in which into the twenty first century, Judd’s exact inquiries into structure and furnishings have gotten as extensively recognised as his wall works and ground items – thanks largely to the exhibitions and programming of Judd Basis, in addition to the four-decade-old industrial arm Donald Judd Furnishings, which continues to look throughout galleries, artwork festivals and cultural establishments. (What number of superstar properties now embody a ‘Daybed’ or ‘La Mansana’ desk?)
With this rising curiosity, in summer season 2026, 101 Spring Avenue presents the exhibition ‘Donald Judd Furnishings: Wooden and Metallic’, a collection of vernacular items that totally exemplify Judd’s ethos outlined in his well-known essay, ‘It’s Laborious to Discover A Good Lamp’.
As such, Judd Basis ‘determined a few 12 months in the past that it wanted its personal [design] director’, explains Judd’s son and basis co-president Flavin Judd (who shares tasks together with his sister, Rainer Judd). ‘Design is simply as necessary as artwork on the subject of Don’s apply and areas, in addition to the work of the inspiration in extending scholarship on his work and concepts.’ So who did the organisation select for the job? ‘We already knew Alexandra and it was simply apparent,’ says Flavin.
101 Spring Avenue, Judd Basis, New York
(Picture credit score: Matthew Millman © Judd Basis. Donald Judd Furnishings © Judd Basis / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.)
Enter Alexandra Cunningham Cameron – an honoree of the Wallpaper* US400 and a veteran of latest design who helped form the design market by Design Miami and navigate the evolving institutional panorama at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Because the first-ever director of design for Judd Basis, Cunningham Cameron arrives because the organisation prepares for the Judd Centennial in 2028 – a milestone that can convey a collection of institutional exhibitions and programmes throughout New York, Marfa and internationally (particulars stay beneath wraps, however the scope is expansive). With appreciable curiosity surrounding the appointment, Wallpaper* spoke with Cunningham Cameron about what’s subsequent for Judd Design.
Judd Basis’s first director of design on her new position
Wallpaper*: What does it imply to develop into the director of design for such an esteemed artist basis?
Alexandra Cunningham Cameron: I am solely a month or two in, so I am nonetheless exploring. It is a new place, and the way in which it’s been structured is round rising consciousness and understanding of Judd’s broader design apply. So this can be a full vary of actions: growing new scholarship programmes, institutional collaborations and fostering Donald Judd furnishings, which continues to be produced and helps the inspiration financially. I am additionally Judd’s work in product design, adaptive reuse, environmental design, graphic design and different areas of the sphere.
W*: How do you see carrying his design and architectural legacy ahead?
ACC: That’s a part of the plan I’m growing. Trying intently at his private collections has been fascinating to me. He had an extremely subtle understanding of worldwide materials tradition, and also you see that within the cautious collection of objects he surrounded himself with – every little thing from a bedside clock to an Alvar Aalto ‘Paimio Sanatorium’ piece.
I’ve an uncommon background in that I labored within the industrial sector for a few years at Design Miami – working with design galleries, wanting on the design market – ultimately specialising in practices that exist between artwork and design: artists who turned designers or architects, or architects and designers who moved extra into visible artwork; individuals who preserve this type of polyvocal strategy.
Set up view, ‘Donald Judd Furnishings: Wooden and Metallic’, 101 Spring Avenue, Judd Basis, New York, 5 June – 1 August 2026
(Picture credit score: Timothy Doyon © Judd Basis. Donald Judd Artwork and Furnishings © Judd Basis / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.)
Then I went to Cooper Hewitt as curator of latest design, and that’s when Rainer and Flavin considered me for this position. I believe they noticed my capability to have a look at each side. I consider design as an ecosystem. It’s a apply, however there are industrial parts. It’s associated to commerce and preservation. It carries ahead materials tradition and materials histories.
So I felt like this chance was an unimaginable second to convey that have into the inspiration, which has already completed such an unimaginable job of documenting and preserving his design legacy, inviting the general public to go to the areas in New York and Marfa, publishing catalogues…
There’s been a number of work round design already completed not too long ago. There was an exhibition in Tokyo, a furnishings exhibition in Seoul, and we simply opened a small furnishings exhibition upstairs right here at 101 Spring Avenue. For me, one of many challenges is considering how one can make design an automated reference within the Judd lexicon – making it extra acquainted and out there to individuals outdoors of a number of the circles you talked about.
Structure Workplace, Judd Basis, Marfa, Texas
(Picture credit score: Matthew Millman © Judd Basis. Donald Judd Furnishings © Judd Basis / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.)
W*: Judd saved artwork and design, in addition to institutional and industrial, separate. How do you navigate these divisions in your position?
ACC: Judd undoubtedly drew a tough line round use; however you see in the entire Judd areas how the artwork and the design dwell collectively. If you’re a apply that reaches out into alternative ways of creating, they’re not essentially working towards one another. Two, three, 4 or 5 issues could be true on the similar time.
I’m much less excited by making an attempt to attract that distinction and extra excited by rising the understanding round what was taking place with Judd design, why it was significant, and the way it was an necessary a part of his total physique of labor.
One thing that’s extremely attention-grabbing for me is considering how one can join the design work to the modern second – conversations round design, and the way we take into consideration self-reliance, subjectivity and look after the atmosphere. It’s necessary to consider the furnishings and design apply as one thing that isn’t solely prior to now, however one thing that continues to dwell at the moment.
101 Spring Avenue, Judd Basis, New York
(Picture credit score: Matthew Millman © Judd Basis. Donald Judd Furnishings © Judd Basis / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.)
The matters within the modern design world – natural supplies, circularity, native manufacturing, craft – are all current in his design apply. They’re usually matters which might be much less mentioned, so I might like to open up extra conversations about how the design apply pertains to these crucial modern design and structure points.
Judd was advocating for brand new concepts; he was bringing a crucial lens to the world, and I believe that’s one thing the worldwide design world wants a bit extra of – taking dangers, appearing by yourself phrases and standing up in your perspective.
W*: What’s one in all your first initiatives out of the gate – how do you need to convey Judd’s concepts into precise dialogue?
ACC: For the time being I’m targeted on going to Marfa to dive into the archive, spend extra time considering and planning, go to all of the websites and go into storage. I’ve solely been to Marfa as soon as, for the reopening of the Structure Workplace final 12 months, so it’s all nonetheless in improvement.
However I might say that a number of the traits actually related to innovation are how I need to strategy his work. It’s necessary to stay true to his imaginative and prescient, however right now that doesn’t imply it’s one thing static.
Set up view, ‘Donald Judd Furnishings: Wooden and Metallic’, 101 Spring Avenue, Judd Basis, New York, 5 June – 1 August 2026
(Picture credit score: Timothy Doyon © Judd Basis. Donald Judd Artwork and Furnishings © Judd Basis / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.)
W*: What, out of Judd’s structure and design canon, is probably the most emblematic of the way in which he thinks about design?
ACC: Oh, that is an attention-grabbing query. Trying on the furnishings types, their use of fabric and kind is so clear. You may virtually instantly see the considering behind how they have been made, how they are going to be used, and in addition the place they’re from. There’s a readability to that imaginative and prescient that many individuals reply to instantly, virtually intuitively, which I discover fascinating.
Everybody from newbie woodworkers to individuals working establishments – there’s actually an enormous vary of Judd furnishings fans. So one of many elemental furnishings types might be probably the most acquainted.
When it comes to the experimental, one thing I’m nonetheless growing an understanding round, I’m fascinated by his work in land conservation and the 33,000 acres in Marfa. How Judd was interested by landscaping, preservation and look after the atmosphere – nature is wild, however summary too – and that type of grappling with the pure world and sciences is one thing I’m wanting ahead to growing a deeper understanding of once I’m in Marfa.
