Donald Judd – Reviewed by Hannah Herrera

Judd, Donald. Untitled. 1968, stainless steel and amber plexiglass.

Donald Judd’s Untitled, 1968, is a stainless steel and amber Plexiglass, floor to ceiling sculpture built into Erastus Corning Tower in Albany, New York. This stack was created by using ten identical square building blocks with translucent centers. They are evenly spaced apart from top to bottom. The amber plexiglass gives off this orange glow. It is an example of industrialized art made with machine produced material. This sculpture is a Minimalistic piece of art. 


The sculpture set on the first floor of the Erastus Corning Tower is positioned at the rear of the building in a space surrounded by windows. This means the space has natural light to illuminate the amber as well as the staged lighting. During the fall, the piece is illuminated by the matching colors of the outside world. While walking around this piece you are able to see out into the surrounding area with changing trees.


While supposed to lack emotion, this piece creates emotional responses. The piece is calming because of its symmetry and warm color choice. It also makes you wonder–why these identical boxes, and why make them visibly hollow to the eye? You can see each step clearly and have no surprises above or below. This piece is insightful without having to be a spectacle. It makes you feel warm yet put together as if you are standing up straight glowing from within. There is a peaceful feeling surrounding the coherence of this piece, being that the space will never change, only the light and the way we surround the work will.