Furniture and Function. Donald Judd vs Muller Van Severen about designing furniture

Abstract

In the extensive meaning of furniture design, functionality has been taken as a feature to define what belongs to that realm and what belongs, for example, to art. A long path, however, has been crossed since the modernist statement that form follows function. Nowadays, if it is still considered that a piece of furniture has to function, furniture design is not explained only by its functionality. The aim of this text is, then, to expand the discussion from arguments based upon the voice of three contemporary artists that designed furniture and art: Donald Judd (1928-1994), Fien Muller (°1978) and Hannes Van Severen (°1979) who founded the studio Muller Van Severen. If Donald Judd states that function defines furniture design, but argues about some similarities about the creative process, Muller Van Severen, who have aesthetical resemblances with Judd, look at furniture from a more holistic view, stressing its role in the construction of spaces and in the blurring of design and art borders.

Keywords:

Arte

diseño

función

muebles

experiencia espacial

Art

design

function

furniture

space experience

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