Donald Judd Moma

If any of you out there think that minimalism is not beautiful then I urge you to go see the brilliant and gorgeous Don Judd retrospective now on at the Moma. This is a large (space wise and scale wise) brilliant showing of this masters sculptures from the early 60's to his untimely early death at 64. His sculptures are about shapes and the industrial landscape especially with his use of materials which consisted of big boy stuff not usually used or associated with art. These are looming pieces full of surprises, nooks crannies and shadows. They are on the wall and on the floor and were at the time radical and off beat, they must have been something on first sight. The "skins" of his pieces are bright, tight and sharp, his colors are primary and I thought of the colors of cosmetics especially nail polishes and lipsticks they are that alluring. He also used reflections, holes and shinny skins polished so bright that they look like they could light a city. His stacking pieces are also powerful and impressive, simple but complex and compelling. Many of his pieces can be looked at different angles and you see differences, in light, space, both opened and closed. I loved this show, so much that I walked through it twice. Easily one of the best shows of 2020. Bravo.