Design ≠ Art

From the collection of MM Tremonto, Paris.

Design ≠ Art: Functional Objects from Donald Judd to Rachel Whiteread explores the fascinating territory between fine art and functional design through furniture and objects created by some of the most influential Minimalist and post-Minimalist artists of the twentieth century.

Published to accompany the landmark 2004 exhibition at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, the book brings together rarely seen functional works by Donald Judd, Scott Burton, Richard Tuttle, Dan Flavin, Sol LeWitt, Rachel Whiteread, and others. Furniture, lighting, rugs, tableware, and domestic objects reveal how artists known primarily for sculpture and installation approached questions of utility, materials, proportion, and everyday use. 

Richly illustrated and informed by conversations with many of the artists, Design ≠ Art examines where—or whether—a meaningful boundary exists between an artwork and an object made to be used. 

Barbara J. Bloemink and Joseph Cunningham

Merrell / Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, 2004
Illustrated exhibition catalogue
215 pages