Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The "Judification" of Marfa







Here is a little background on myself... pre-has-been-celebrity-designer. I grew up in west Texas and actually was an acquaintance of a hero in the art world Donald Judd. He was kind of like the artsy version of Bob. When he and I both lived in the Marfa area, we were the weirdos; he, much more of a weirdo than I. He established the Chinati Foundation. Don passed away 13 years ago content with being misunderstood by his a small town all the while being one of most revered artists of the 2oth century. FYI, he knew he was revered.
Fast-forward to 2008, Marfa has been invaded by artists, wannabees, and has-beens (like myself). It is absolutly charming and it delights me to no end. There are art galleries on every corner, a super chick Book Store, even the former "batesesque" MOTEL THUNDERBIRD has been plucked and tweezed and deserves a post of its own. I feel like the bumblebee in the Blind Melon video when I visit. It is almost as nice as Utopia.
At any rate, before I close I ask, "What would Donald Judd do (WWJD) if he drove into Marfa, Texas today and saw the metamorphosis of his small cow-town to a Mecca for the artsy-fartsy?"

2 comments:

Painted Groove Girl said...

Can someone be an artist, a wannabee, and a has-been, all at the same time? In my case, I'm thinking: yes!

Design Block said...

I concur Groovey Girl.