The Donald Judd Foundation has sued Kim Kardashian for claiming that a set of tables was created by the late famed Minimalist.
First reported by the New York Times, the lawsuit centers on a promotional video Kardashian released in 2022 in which she tours the offices of her Skkn by Kim company, pointing out notable designs therein, including what she calls “Donald Judd tables.”
Kardashian praises Judd, whose work received a Museum of Modern Art retrospective in 2020, saying that the tables “totally blend in with the seats.”
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But the nonprofit that manages his legacy has declared that the dining set is not an authentic Judd. The organization filed a lawsuit against Kardashian on Wednesday, accusing her of making inaccurate claims.
The lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Central District of California, also names the West Hollywood firm Clements Design. Per court papers, the company created the dining set, which bears a striking resemble to Judd’s design. The Foundation accused the company of trademark and copyright infringement.
“Consumers are likely to believe Judd Foundation and the Donald Judd brand are connected or affiliated with, or otherwise sponsored or endorsed Ms. Kardashian,” reads the lawsuit, as quoted by the Times. “Judd Foundation categorically prohibits customers from using purchased Donald Judd furniture for marketing and promotional purposes.”
In a statement, Clements Design said there were “obvious key differences” between its furniture and the work of Judd, and that it was “blindsided” by the lawsuit. According to the company, it had been seeking an amicable resolution with the Judd Foundation, however the latter “was unwilling to settle on reasonable terms.”
The company added: “These claims have absolutely no merit.”
Kardashian posted the video in 2022 to YouTube, where it was has since received more than 3.6 million views. The contested tables are in the kitchen of her California office and look similar to two Judd pieces: La Mansana Table 22 and Chair 84.
The Judd Foundation told the Times that it contacted Kardashian about the tables three days after the video was posted. (It was removed from YouTube on Wednesday after the lawsuit was filed.) A spokesperson for Kardashian reportedly told the Foundation that they were “incredibly sorry for any inconvenience this has caused …” and offered to “update the video caption with a retraction.”
The Foundation rejected the offer, and insisted that the video be deleted and the furniture “recycled,” and for Kardashian to issue a public statement on the matter. Kardashian’s team countered with an offer to create a social media post in which she promotes the Foundation, per court papers. From there, negotiations broke down.
Clements Design has argued that the furniture differs sufficiently from Judd’s designs, given the different wood and proportions. The Foundation, however, pointed out an invoice from Clements Designs that described the tables as being in “the style of Donald Judd.”
“It is lower quality than Donald Judd’s furniture,” Megan Bannigan, a lawyer representing the Foundation, told the Times. “We don’t want to be mixed up with Kim Kardashian. We respect what she does, but we don’t want to be involved with this.”
