Saving Judd's Untitled 1964: Revival of a Galvanized Steel Single Stack Sculpture with Red Nitrocellulose Paint

Abstract

This article describes the conservation treatment of the first cantilevered single stack by Donald Judd, dated March 30, 1964. A section of this galvanized steel work is painted red with a Harley- Davidson paint, a proprietary product developed for the motorcycle and automotive industry. This work is pivotal in Judd's oeuvre, not only because it is a very early example of the application of Harley- Davidson colors to his works, but also because this is the only piece where the sheet metal was applied over a wooden core, representing a turning point from works in wood to objects in metals. Rediscovered in 2003 in a condition declared beyond repair, this early piece called for innovative treatment solutions not previously established. Identification, instrumental analysis, and reproduction of the original paint are described. Highlights of the treatment include consolidation of the severely damaged and failing original nitrocellulose-based paint system, and loss compensation of the Harley-Davidson paint and of the spangled pattern of the galvanized steel. The treatments developed and described in this article present viable new options for a range of objects beyond Judd's oeuvre.