DonaldJudd,ItsHardtoFindaGoodLamp1993 InthemiddleeightiesIwrotethatinthemiddlesixtiessomeoneaskedmetodesignacoffeetable.I thoughtthataworkofminewhichwasessentiallyarectangularvolumewiththeuppersurfacerecessed couldbealtered.ThisdebasedtheworkandproducedabadtablewhichIlaterthrewaway.The configurationandthescaleofartcannotbetransposedintofurnitureandarchitecture.Theintentofartis differentfromthatofthelatter,whichmustbefunctional.Ifachairorabuildingisnotfunctional,ifitappears tobeonlyart,itisridiculous.Theartofachairisnotitsresemblancetoart,butispartlyits reasonableness,usefulnessandscaleasachair.Theseareproportion,whichisvisiblereasonableness. Theartinartispartlytheassertionofsomeonesinterestregardlessofotherconsiderations.Aworkofart existsasitselfachairexistsasachairitself.Andtheideaofachairisntachair.Duetotheinabilityofart tobecomefurniture,Ididnttryagainforseveralyears.HoweverIvealwaysbeeninterestedinarchitecture andcontinuedtosketchideas. Ofcourseifapersonisatoncemakingartandbuildingfurnitureandarchitecturetherewillbesimilarities. Thevariousinterestsinformwillbeconsistent.Ifyoulikesimpleformsinartyouwillnotmakecomplicated onesinarchitecture.Complicated,incidentally,istheoppositeofsimple,notcomplex,whichbothmaybe.

Butthedifferencebetweenartandarchitectureisfundamental.Furnitureandarchitecturecanonlybe approachedassuch.Artcannotbeimposeduponthem.Iftheirnatureisseriouslyconsideredtheartwill occur,evenartclosetoartitself.ThemistakeImadewiththetablewastotrytomakesomethingas unusualasIthoughtaworkofarttobe.Backofthiswastheassumptionthatagoodchairwasonlyagood chair,thatachaircouldonlybeimprovedorchangedslightly,andthatnothingnewcouldbedonewithouta great,strangeeffort.ButthefurnitureslowlybecamenewasIdealteasilywiththereality.Agoodchairisa goodchair.Theparticularsslowlycreatedthegeneralformsthatcouldnotbedirectlytransferred.Icannow makeachairorabuildingthatisminewithouttryingtoderiveformsfrommyownworksofart.Afterafew yearsIdesignedapairofsinksforanoldbuildingthatIboughtinNewYorkCityandforwhichIvedesigned muchsubsequently.TheseweredesigneddirectlyassinkstheywerenotaconversionIdidntconfuse themwithart.Thebasinofthesinkisanellipse,whichsofarIveneverusedinart,insteadofacircle,which Idouse.Ialsodesignedalargetablewithchairs,somewhatlikebenches,tobemadeoffolded1/8inch stainlesssteel,brassorcopper.Thiswasnevermadebecausethefourthfloorofthebuildinginwhichitwas tobeisveryopen,primarilytwoplanes,floorandceiling,whilethetableandchairsareveryclosed.The latterwouldruinthespace.Ilatermadesomebookshelvesforthethirdfloor. IkeptthebuildingbutmovedtoWestTexaswithmytwochildren,whereIrentedasmallhouseontheedge oftown.Thehousewasquarteredintoelevenbyelevenfootrooms.Therewasnofurnitureandnonetobe bought,eitherold,sincethetownhadnotshrunkorchangedmuchsinceitsbeginningin1883,ornew, sincethefewstoressoldonlyfakeantiquesortubularkitchenfurniturewithplasticsurfacesprintedwith inanegeometricpatternsandflowers.Thetwosmallchildrenplayedandsleptinoneofthefourrooms.In ordertogivethemeachanareaoftheirownnotwithstandingtheoneroom,Idesignedabedwhichwasa closedplatformofonebytwelveswithacentral,freestandingwall,alsoofonebytwelves.Thebedwas designedsothatthelumberyardcouldcutthefewdifferentlengthstosizeandIcouldthennailthem togetherinplace.Ilikedthebedagreatdeal,andinfactthewholehouse,forwhichImadeotherfurniture. Later,inalargeplaceintown,Idesigneddesksandchairsforthechildrenusingthesamemethodof construction.Morefurnituredevelopedfromthisbeginning.

Itsimpossibletogotothestoreandbuyachair.InNorthAmericasincetheMissionstylebecame unfashionableinthetwentiesandinEnglandsincethesimilarfurniturederivedfromWilliamMorrisalso becameunfashionable,therehasbeennofurniturewhichispleasurabletolookat,fairlyavailableand moderateinprice.TheonlyexceptionisthebentwoodfurnituredevelopedbyThonet,whichbecameless fashionableinthetwentiesbuthascontinuedtobemadeuntilnowbyThonetandothers.Thisisstillnot expensivebutitisnotdownthestreetinthestore.Thefurnituredesignedinthetwentiesbythewellknown architectsthatcontinuestobemadeisexpensiveformostpeople,althoughnotasexpensiveasthe materialsandtheconstructionimply,andishardlynearbytopurchase.Neitherisallofitagreeable.Mies vanderRohesisstillthebestandshouldnotbeconsideredasonlyawornstatussymbol.Asbadideas shouldnotbeacceptedbecausetheyarefashionable,goodideasshouldnotberejectedbecausetheyare unfashionable.Conventionsarenotworthreactingtoonewayoranother.Mostoftheotherfurniturein production,suchasBreuersWassilychairandLeCorbusiersfurniture,isanearlycivilizedandalmost forgivablesentimentalizingofthemachine.Thechairsofbotharchitectsarederivedfromthebettercamping andmilitarychairsofthenineteenthcentury.Oldgoodideasmadenewandshinyarenowadismaying precedent.Sentimentalizingthemachineisnowamalignityofthecentury.Thisispresentinmostavailable furnitureandinmostbuildings.ItisextremeinPompidouandLloyds.Infurniturethispuerilityisusually combinedwiththepuerilityofdomesticity,thesocietalprogressofthemachinewithpersonalprogressin thesociety. Almostallfurnituremadesincethetwentiesandmuchbeforeinanyofthestyles,modernand traditional,hasbeenjunkforconsumers.AsIvewritten,theornateandoverstuffedfurnitureofthelasthalf ofthenineteenthcentury,crowdedintocorrespondingrooms,wasnotsupplantedbysimpleandfunctional modernfurniture.Instead,thiswasturnedintoVictorianfurniture,alsocrowdedintomatchingrooms. Decorationisntjustappliedachairisdecorated.Modern,progressivefurniturehasbeencorruptedintothe opposite.Primarily,traditionalfurniture,Victorianfurniture,continues.Itsordinarilywhatsinthestore.This iswhatmostpeoplehavetochoosefrom,whetherinYellowknifeofNewYork.Asinpolitics,thisfurnitureis nottraditionalandconservativebutisanimitationofpastfurniture.Theappearanceofthepastrepresents statusbyinvokingahigherclassinthepastthanthepurchaserisininthepresent.Theimitationold furnituresymbolizesupandtheimitationmodernsymbolizesforward.Usuallythefirstisinthehomeand thesecondisintheoffice,sometimesoneortheotherinboth,andseldomthereverse.Goodofficefurniture isalsodifficulttofind.Thebizarreandcomplicatedmodernofficeoftherichexecutive,whohas photographsonhisdeskofhiswifeandchildrenintheirtraditionalsetting,isasummationofthe surroundingcorporateheadquarters.Sinceheorhiswifeareontheboardofthemuseum,itmustlook progressive,liketheheadquarters,butwithatouchoftradition,forher,forupwardmobilitytothepast,for somethingbetterthanbusiness,suchaslearning,althoughthereisnothingbetter,andgenerallyforthe gentilityofart,whichsymbolizedallofthese.Then,also,hemaybeonthetowncouncil,orhebuilds shoppingcenters,orhebuildsapartmenthouses,givingthepeoplewhattheywant,togowiththefurniture inwhichtheyhadnochoice.Upwardandforward,andlowereveryyear,notonlyinarchitectureandart,but economicallyandpolitically,sincerealityisequallyabsent.Anyway,whatkindofasocietyisitwhenyou cantevenbuyachair? Architects,designers,businesspeople,evenpoliticians,saythattheyaregivingthepeoplewhattheywant. Theyaregivingthepeoplewhattheydeserve,becauseoftheirnegligence,buttheyarepresumptuousto claimtoknowwhattheywant.Whattheywantiswhattheyget.Anexceptiontoimposinguponthepublic whattheywant,orperhapsararegoodguess,isthedesignofSonytelevisionsetsandotherequipment,of

someotherJapanesecompaniesandofsomeEuropeancompanies.Thishasnorelationtotraditional Japanesearchitecture,whichisfortunate,becauseifitdidthenewversionoftheoldwouldbejustas debasedasitisintheUnitedStates.DepartmentstoresinOsakaarefloorafterfloorkitsch,astheyarein NewYork.Andalwayssurprisingly,andalways,everywhere,newJapanesearchitecture,andKorean,show nofundamentallessonslearnedfromtheirpastarchitecture,thesameasinParis.IntheUnitedStatesthe televisionmachinebegandisguisedandcontinuesasatoncethemythofthemachineandthemythofthe oldhome.TheAmericansgavetheAmericanswhattheywantedtheydidntwantit.Neitherdidanyone else.InadditiontothesuccessofSonysdesign,thereisthesmallersuccessofBraun,whosedesignmust bethemodel,somewhatbetterasearlierusuallyis,forSonysdesign.Afewmonthsagotherewasa curiousarticleinLufthansasmagazinejustlypraisingBraunanditschiefdesigner,DieterRams,praising Germandesignofcourse,butexplainingthatGermandesignwasnowsecond toItaliandesign(Consumerproductsarenotwherenationsdifferindesign)butthatGermanywouldcatch up.Thismeansbecomeworse.DesignerItalianfurnitureistheworldsworst.Theonlythingsasbadare theplasticbottlesforliquidsoap.Itisanexceptionandapossibilitythatyoucangodownthestreetand chooseaTVandenjoylookingatitwhenitsturnedof.InTexas,whenImadethefirstfurniture,Iwanteda televisionset.Thiswasntdownthestreet,butalmostsotwentyfivemilesaway.Allthesetswere American,allweremadeofplasticimitatingwood,somelikeyourAnglograndmotherssideboard,somelike yourItaliangrandmotherscredenza,somelikeyourLatinograndmothersaparador.IchoseanAnglosetby Zenith.Againasusual,thedesignandthetechnologywerecongruent.Thecolorwasthatofthefirstcolored comicstrip,printedduringanearthquake. MostofthefurniturethatIhavedesignedremainsfairlyexpensive,becauseofitsmethodsofconstruction, anditisnoteasilyavailable.Wehavemadeaseriousefforttolowerthepricesbutthefurnitureis handmade,basicallyeventhesheetmetalpiecesmadebyJanssen,onebyone.Thesewouldbecheaper madebyhundredsbutstilltherewouldbeconsiderablehandwork.Thewoodenfurniturecannotchange. Lowerpricesrequiregreatnumberswhichrequirealargedistribution.Thisusuallyleadstothedepartment store.Thedistributionoffurniture,andofbooks,probablyofmostthings,aremonopoliesagainstdiversity, whicheliminateexceptionsandcomplication,whichhaveaninvariableschemeforproductionandforcosts, andofcourseforappearance,andforbooks,subjectmatter.Forbothfurnitureandbooksthedesignerand theauthorabsolutelyreceiveverylittle.Theproductioncostoffurnitureisnotasfixedasthecostofthe designer,butitislow.Thecostofthedesignermusthavedevelopedfromthatofrealmodernfurniture,since thearchitectwasalwaysdead.Theproducer,notthefactory,andtheretailer,orbothasone,receivethe mostmoney,someasprofit,somefortheexpensesofthedistributionandthesalesroom.Thismakesan impossibleprice.Andofcourseitseemsthatthemiddlemanshouldgetless.Thelargerthedistributionthe moretothemiddleman.Thereforethebestmethodisasmalldistribution,whichiswhatwedo.And, importantly,wearetheproducers,whichcombinesthatprofitandmyprofitintoone,leavingonlytheretailer asextra.Ourfurnituregoesaroundtheworld,butonlyonebyone.Mostthingscouldbemadeintheareain whichtheyareconsumed,eliminatingthebigdistributor,oftenonecompanychargingforthreefunctions, insteadoftwoforoneasinourcase,chargingthreetimesasthedistributor,theproducerandthe manufacturer,thatis,profitingascorporations.Almostanythingtheycandoanyonecandoanywhere.And obviouslyevencarsandTVscouldbemadebyanylargecityorsmallcountry.Ihavealwaysthoughtit strangethattherearenocarsbuiltinSwitzerland.Ihaveheardthattherewasonceacompany.Whyshould TexasimportcarsandtrucksfromMichigan?Theoligarchyofmonopoliesofdistributionpreventsinnovation, inventsonlyrestrictions,andraisesblankwalls.Theflatandboringsocietyisamazeofblankwallsjust aboveeyelevel.Thispreventsnewandrealinventions,soobviouslythereisnochanceforonlyanewchair

oralittlebook.Thepurposeofbigbusinessistomaintainitsoligarchyratherthantodoanythingelse,for example,tofulfilltwoofitsbiggestclaims,competitionandinnovation.Efficiencyisanotherclaim,partof progress,efficiencyforprofit,notnecessarilyforproduction,andnotforthepublic.Onlyinthemythical progressisthereasuggestionofbenefitingsociety.Mostbusinesspeoplethinkthatsuchslightaltruism ispartoftheiradvertising.AndfreeenterpriseisasloganofthePentagon. NoamChomskywrites:Freetradeisfineforeconomicsdepartmentsandnewspapereditorials,butnobody inthecorporateworldorthegovernmenttakesthedoctrinesseriously.ThepartsoftheUSeconomythat areabletocompeteinternationallyareprimarilythestatesubsidizedones,capitalintensiveagriculture (agribusiness,asitscalled),hightechindustry,pharmaceuticals,biotechnology,etc. Thesameistrueofotherindustrialsocieties.TheUSgovernmenthasthepublicpayforresearchand developmentandprovides,largelythroughthemilitary,astateguaranteedmarketforwasteproduction.If somethingismarketable,theprivatesectortakesitover.Thatsystemofpublicsubsidyandprivateprofitis whatiscalledfreeenterprise. Myexperienceisthatbothfurnituredistributionandbookdistributionareimpossible.Ontheotherhandthe artbusinessissuchaonehorsebusinessthatsomethinglargerseemsbetter.Butthisisperhapsbecause thecontextforartissoweak.Theonlypossiblewayperhapstomakecheapmassproducedfurnitureisto startwithaconstructioncostandtodesignaccordingly.Atpresentwewouldhavetodebasethe constructionoftheexistingfurnitureformassproduction.Beginningfromafixedconstructionoftheexisting furnitureformassproduction.Beginningfromafixedconstructioncoststillleavesthequestionsoftoolittle tothedesignerandtoomuchtotheproducerorganizerwholesalerandtotheretailer. TheroughlymadepinefurnituremadebymeandothersinTexaswasmadefirst,withafewexceptions.So farthishasnotbeenmadeforsale.Next,wellmadefurnitureinfinesolidwoodwasmadeformybuildingin NewYorkandtheninsmallnumberstosell,asitstillis.Thewoodandthecraftsmanshipmakethisthe mostexpensive.In84Idesignedsomechairs,benches,atableandsomebedsinsheetmetal,whichwere paintedonecolortoapiece.Therewerealsoacoupleofchairsandatablemadeofcopper.Thiswasfor myselfbutalsowasthefirstfurnituretobeginasfurnituretosell.Sincethiswassheetmetalandthe constructioniscommon,Ithoughtitwouldbecheapenoughtobeusedoutdoorsinpublic,butthereisstill toomuchhandwork.Untilthen,exceptforthefirstpine chairs,allofthefurniturewassomewhatheavy.FiveyearsagoIdesignedsomelightchairsandtwotables insolidwood.ThesearesimplybutwellmadeinYorkshire.Similaronesweremaderecentlyforoutdoorsin galvanizedsteelandofgranite,againheavy,andalsoinTexasinpaintedsteelandofslate.Afewyears ago,firstforuse,thenforsale,desks,tablesandabenchweremadeinCologneofclearplywood.The sheetsofplywoodarecutaslittleaspossibleandareslippedtogether,interlocking,likeachildrenstoy,an oldidea.Thesealso,sometimeswiththeplywoodcoatedcommerciallywithacolor,aswellaschairslike thoseinpine,aremadeinNewYork. Iamoftenaskedifthefurnitureisart,sincealmosttenyearsagosomeartistsmadeartthatwasalso furniture.Thefurnitureisfurnitureandisonlyartinthatarchitecture,ceramics,textilesandmanythingsare art.Wetrytokeepthefurnitureoutofartgalleriestoavoidthisconfusion,whichisfarfrommythinking.And alsotoavoidtheconsequentinflationoftheprice.Iamoftentoldthatthefurnitureisnotcomfortable,nand inthatnotfunctional.ThesourceofthequestionisintheoverstuffedbourgeoisVictorianfurniture,whichasI said,neverceased.Thefurnitureiscomfortabletome.Ratherthanmakingachairtosleepinoramachine

toliveit,itisbettertomakeabed.Astraightchairisbestforeatingorwriting.Thethirdpositionis standing.