The Judd Foundation recently announced the launch of a searchable online catalog of Donald Judd’s central library in Marfa, Texas.
Last year, the Foundation updated its website with resources documenting the life of Donald Judd. That multi-year project was spearheaded by Rainer Judd, president of the Judd Foundation and Donald Judd’s daughter. Also last year, the Foundation received a $60,000 grant from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation to digitize the library.
According to the Judd Foundation Library website, Mr. Judd began acquiring books when he was a student at the College of William and Mary. He continued to add to his collection throughout his studies at the Art Students League and Columbia University. During his time at Columbia, Mr. Judd worked at the college’s library. Throughout his life, he continued to collect books in line with his various interests.
Currently, Mr. Judd’s books are dispersed across multiple locations, including his studio (101 Spring Street in New York City), La Mansana de Chinati/The Block in Marfa, and his ranch houses in Presidio County: Casa Morales, Casa Perez, and Las Casas. The new online catalog of Mr. Judd’s library includes over 13,000 volumes from the artist’s personal collection located at La Mansana de Chinati/The Block.
The books cover a wide range of topics such as art, architecture, philosophy, literature, anthropology, natural history, and world history. The catalog features a visual map of bookshelves in the library, and when a shelf is clicked, the site displays a photograph of the actual shelf. The bookshelves, built by local craftsmen, were designed by Mr. Judd in response to the dimensions of the room.
Learn more and access the online catalog via the Judd Foundation website.