Chinati Foundation to Relocate Judd's 100 Mill-Aluminium Boxes for First Time in 40 Years During Artillery Sheds Restoration
The Facts
On August 19, 2026, the Chinati Foundation announced that restoration work will commence this autumn on the two former artillery sheds housing Donald Judd's 100 untitled works in mill aluminium (1982-86) in Marfa, Texas. Each of the mill-aluminium boxes will be moved for the first time in more than 40 years, allowing a team of architects and engineers to address critical infrastructure concerns in the buildings. The project follows the sheds' recognition last year on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Donald Judd Historic District. Judd acquired the majority of the former Fort D.A. Russell in the late 1970s, including the sheds built in 1939 by the US Army Corps of Engineers, to create a museum of permanent, site-specific installations.
The Signal
The relocation of Judd's iconic boxes marks a pivotal moment for the Chinati Foundation, underscoring the tension between preserving an artist's original intent and ensuring long-term structural viability. The project signals a growing institutional commitment to maintaining site-specific works as they age, a challenge faced by many museums with permanent installations. The John Chamberlain building, which underwent restoration in 2022, serves as a model for this delicate process, according to executive director Caitlin Murray. For collectors and curators, this restoration reinforces the value of works that remain in their original context, a principle Judd himself championed as essential to understanding contemporary art.
- Artists: Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Roni Horn, Carl Andre, Robert Irwin, John Chamberlain
- People: Caitlin Murray
- Museums: Chinati Foundation
- Locations: Marfa
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