Carl Freedman (born 1965) is the founder of Carl Freedman Gallery (formerly Counter Gallery). He previously worked as a writer and a

curator A curator (from la, cura, meaning "to take care") is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the parti ...

Life and career

The 1990s and the Young British Artists

Saatchi arrived at ''Gambler'' in a green Bentley and, according to Freedman, was immediately impressed by (and then bought) Hirst's first major "animal" installation, ''A Thousand Years'', consisting of a large glass case containing maggots and flies feeding off a rotting cow's head."Market News:Counter"
''The Daily Telegraph'', 17 March 2003, Retrieved 2 April 2006 (The installation was later a notable feature of the ''

Sensation Sensation (psychology) refers to the processing of the senses by the sensory system. Sensation or sensations may also refer to: In arts and entertainment In literature * Sensation (fiction), a fiction writing mode * Sensation novel, a Britis ...

'' exhibition.) At this early stage, Freedman was financing the production of Hirst's vitrines, and has commented that not many people attended these early shows, including ''Freeze''. In 1994, Freedman toured the US with

Tracey Emin Tracey Karima Emin, CBE, RA (; born 3 July 1963) is a British artist known for her autobiographical and confessional artwork. Emin produces work in a variety of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, photography, neon text and ...

, driving in a Cadillac from San Francisco to New York, making stops en route where she gave readings from her autobiographical book ''Exploration of the Soul'' to finance the trip. The couple also spent time by the sea in

Whitstable Whitstable () is a town on the north coast of Kent adjoining the convergence of the Swale Estuary and the Greater Thames Estuary in southeastern England, north of Canterbury and west of Herne Bay. The 2011 Census reported a population of ...

together, using the beach-hut, which she uprooted and turned into art in 1999 with the title ''The Last Thing I Said to You is Don't Leave Me Here'', and which was destroyed (along with her "tent") in the 2004 Momart warehouse fire. In 1995, Freedman curated the show ''Minky Manky'' at the

South London Gallery The South London Gallery, founded 1891, is a public-funded gallery of contemporary art in Camberwell, London. Until 1992, it was known as the South London Art Gallery, and nowadays the acronym SLG is often used. Margot Heller became its direc ...

. At the time Emin was relatively unknown. Freedman, concerned that he would be accused of nepotism, challenged Emin to make a great work. The result was Emin's famous "tent" ''Everyone I have Ever Slept With 1963–1995'', which was first exhibited in the show. Freedman's interview with her appears in the catalogue. Other featured artists were

Sarah Lucas Sarah Lucas (born 1962) is an English artist. She is part of the generation of Young British Artists who emerged during the 1990s. Her works frequently employ visual puns and bawdy humour by incorporating photography, collage and found objects. ...

Gary Hume Gary Stewart Hume (born 9 May 1962) is an English artist. Hume's work is strongly identified with the YBA who came to prominence in the early 1990s. Hume lives and works in London and Accord, New York.

Damien Hirst Damien Steven Hirst (; né Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...

Mat Collishaw Matthew "Mat" Collishaw Hon. FRPS (born 6 January 1966) is an English artist based in London. Collishaw's work uses photography and video. His best known work is ''Bullet Hole'' (1988), which is a closeup photo of what appears to be a bull ...

Gilbert & George Gilbert Prousch, sometimes referred to as Gilbert Proesch (born 17 September 1943 in San Martin de Tor, Italy), and George Passmore (born 8 January 1942 in Plymouth, United Kingdom), are two artists who work together as the collaborative art d ...

, Critical Décor and Stephen Pippin. Freedman said one of the show's themes was: :the artist as a subject, and (to) explore the relationship between the art on the wall and its creator, to make the whole thing more humanistic. And in there somewhere there is the beginnings of a thesis on the relationship and similarities between madness and modernism, for example, defiance of authority, nihilism, examples of extreme relativism, strange transformations of the self, irrationality, and things like that."Do You Want to Be in My Gang"
, Liz Ellis, 2 February 1997. Retrieved 2 April 2006

Carl Freedman Gallery

Carl Freedman Gallery London

In 2003, he opened Counter Gallery in Charlotte Road, Shoreditch, East London to sell original works. The opening show had works by Simon Martin, an art lecturer and YBA contemporary. In 2007, the gallery changed its name to

Carl Freedman Gallery Carl Freedman (born 1965) is the founder of Carl Freedman Gallery (formerly Counter Gallery). He previously worked as a writer and a curator. Life and career The 1990s and the Young British Artists Saatchi arrived at ''Gambler'' in a green Be ...

Carl Freedman Gallery Margate

Carl Freedman Gallery opened in

Margate Margate is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay and Westbrook. The town has been a significan ...

, Kent on Saturday 25 May 2019 with a major solo show of new work by British painter Billy Childish.  After purchasing part of the old Thanet Press building in the centre of town, Carl Freedman's new HQ spans 10,000 square foot of a concrete 1960s commercial building. The site includes three exhibition spaces, an artist apartment and an upper floor dedicated to Freedman's print publishing business;  Counter Editions."Billy Childish, Man in the Mouth of the Cave"
FAD Magazine, 2019.'This is a fantastic opportunity for us to present larger-scale solo presentations by our artists as well as more expansive curated shows. Margate is going through an amazing transformation, led by a growing art community, and we are excited to be a part of the future of the town's creative-led regeneration.' Carl Freedman.

References

External links

Carl Freedman GalleryCounter Editions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freedman, Carl 1965 births Living people British curators Art dealers from London Place of birth missing (living people) Date of birth missing (living people)