Born 1975, Detroit, MI
MFA, Yale University School of Art, New Haven, CT, 2003
MA, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, 2001
BFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1998
University of Leeds, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, UK, 1996
Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
Solo exhibitions
2022
Brain in Hand, Jessica Silverman, San Francisco, CA
Body Matters / Martha Friedman, Art@Bainbridge at Princeton University Art Museum, NJ
2019
Martha Friedman; Castoffs, The Henry Museum, Seattle, WA (catalogue)
2017
Dancing Around Things, Andrea Rosen Gallery 2, New York, NY
Some Hags, The IFA Great Hall, New York, NY
2016
Pore, Locust Projects, Miami, FL
2012
Caught, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
2010
Rub, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit, MI
Rubbers, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA (catalogue)
Plug, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL
2009
The Organization of Batter, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
2007
Not Simply Connected, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
Group exhibitions
2021
Elsewhere and Here, Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT
We Are Here, Jessica Silverman, San Francisco, CA
2019
The Empathy Lab, Jessica Silverman, San Francisco, CA
2018
Rose Ocean: Living With Duchamp, Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY
2017
Fluid and Flow: The Art of Liquid Control, The Australian National University, Canberra, AU (in collaboration with Princeton Prof. Brooke Holmes)
Haptic Bodies: Perception, Touch and the Ethics of Being, Barnard University, New York, NY (two-person exhibition with Vera P. Hall curated by Tina Campt)
2016
In the Flesh, Part II: Potential Adaptations, Diet, Miami, FL
2015
Not A Painting, The Hole, New York, NY
Civilization and Its Discontents: SAIC Alumni Exhibition, Sullivan Galleries, Chicago, IL
Drawing for Sculpture, TSA, New York, NY
Foundation Barbin Presents: Redeux (Sort of), Kai Matsumiya Gallery, New York, NY
2014
The Rhythm That Laughs You, Flux Factory, Long Island City, NY
2013
Ten Years, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
Frieze New York Sculpture Park—curated by Tom Eccles, New York, NY
Flesh and Blood, Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem, IL
2012
Buy My Bananas, Kate Werble Gallery, New York, NY
Catherine Konner Sculpture Park at RoCA, West Nyack, NY
The Big Toe, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
Errogenous Zones, Silverman Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Flesh and Blood, Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem, IL
Flights From Wonder, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA
2011
New York Minute—organized by Kathy Grayson, The Garage Center for Contemporary Culture, Moscow, RU
B-B-B-B-Bad, Anna Kustera, New York, NY
Sculpture is a three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials…, Johann Koenig, Berlin, DE
2010
Rock Garden, Salon 94 Freemans, New York, NY
Swagger, Drag, Fit Together, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
Herd-Thinner – organized by David Hunt, Charest-Weinberg Gallery, Miami, FL
2009
New York Minute—organized by Kathy Grayson, MACRO, Rome IT
In the Between—organized by Suzanne Egeran, Istanbul, TR
Offset—curated by Matthew Spiegelman, Mt Tremper Arts, Mt Tremper, NY
Time-Life Part Two, Taxter & Spengemann, New York, NY
From Yarn to Yucca-A Continuation of the Dialogue Between Abstraction and Figuration, John Connelly Presents, New York, NY
Submerging Artists—curated by General Store, The Dark Fair, Koelnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, DE
Presents, Rowley Kennerk Gallery, Chicago, IL
2008
The Station—curated by Nate Lowman and Shamim M. Momim, Miami, FL
Lost in the Supermarket, Armand Bartos Fine Art, New York, NY
Thank You for Coming Triple Candie, 2001-08, Triple Candie, New York, NY
2007
Trapdoor, Public Art Fund, New York, NY
Bunch, Alliance and Dissolve, Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, OH
Obscene Soft Sounds, Wallspace, New York, NY
Distinctive Messengers, House of Campari, New York, NY
2006
Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, NY
Mystic River II, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
Mystic River—curated by Noah Sheldon, SouthFirst Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Space Between The Spokes, KS Art, New York, NY
Dynasty—curated Omar Lopez-Chahoud, Gallery MC, New York, NY
2005
Excitations—curated by Matt Keegan, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, NY
2004
The Reality of Things, Triple Candie, New York, NY
Buy American—curated by Joe Scanlan, Galerie Chez Valentin, Paris, FR
G C G, Art in the Office, 22 Courtland St. New York, NY
Selected talks and presentations
2023
Two Person Operating System Type 2, The Kitchen, New York, NY, February 3-4, 2024
2019
Cooper Union Visiting Artist Lecture, April 11, 2019
2018
Yale Sculpture Department Visiting Artist lecture, October 3, 2018
Princeton IHUM Department; Interdisciplinarity and Antidisciplinarity; Guest Lecture on Pain and Art, October 8, 2018
Princeton Athens Center & The Benaki Museum; “Liquid Antiquity” Symposium, July 13-14, 2018
Henry Museum; Gallery Talk, June 15, 2018
Princeton Engineering Department, Council on Science and Technology; “Living at the
Intersection, Engineering and the Arts” Symposium April 12-13, 2018
Princeton Architecture Department; Panelist for “The Case of Concrete” discussion, April 4, 2018
2017
Cal Arts School of Art; 2017 Paul Brach Lecture, December 5, 2017
Cooper Union Guest Artist Lecture, October 9, 2017
Barnard College; Artist talk-back at The Barnard Scholar and Feminist Conference, March 13, 2017
Princeton University German Department, A Conversation between Martha Friedman & Juliane Rebentisch (Whitney J. Oates Fellow in the Humanities Council) on Contemporary Art Practices, October 3, 2017
2016
Co-organized public programming with Princeton Professor Jeff Dolven for Institute of Fine Arts in New York: PANEL 1 moderated by Thomas Crow, October 19, 2016, PANEL 2 following performance of TPOS by Susan Marshall and Martha Friedman, November 16, 2016, PANEL 3 following curated concert by C.Spencer Yeh & Liz Pearse, December 1, 2016
Selected bibliography
2022
Cascone, Sarah. “Rubber Art Maestro Martha Friedman’s Brooklyn Waterfront Studio Contains Gallons of Silicone and a Bundle of Antique Cigars.” Artnet. May 27, 2022.
Ozturk, Selen. “Martha Friedman Pushes the Limits of Body and Mind with Brain in Hand.” Whitewall. May 11, 2022.
Bravo, Tony. “S.F. gallery’s ‘Tenterhooks’ gets inside the brain with blend of visual art, dance.” San Francisco Chronicle Datebook. May 9, 2022.
2018
Baran, Jessica. “Artforum Critic’s Pick.” Artforum. November 5, 2018
“The Best Art Shows in Seattle: Winter 2018/2019.” The Stranger. December 5, 2018
Milne, Stefan. “Mickalene Thomas’s and Martha Friedman’s Exhibits at Henry Art Gallery Explore Bodies.” The Seattle Met. August 8, 2018
Upchurch, Michael. “When objectifying a man’s body is a good thing.” Crosscut. June 22, 2018
Roth, Minhae Shim. “Locust Project Turns 20: Remembering Its Most Memorable Exhibits.” Miami New Times. December 4, 2018
2017
“Goings On About Town: Art; Martha Friedman.” The New Yorker. March 2017
Sweeny, Erin. “Gut Feeling, Martha Friedman: Dancing Around Things.” The Brooklyn Rail. March 2017
Droitcour, Brian. “Martha Friedman.” Art in America. March 2017
Haber, John. “Dancing in the Dark: Simon Starling and Martha Friedman” Haber’s Art Reviews. March 2017
Ho, Yin. “Critic’s Picks: Martha Friedman, NYU Institute of Fine Art, Great Hall.” Artforum.com. October 2017
Cascone, Sarah. “Editors’ Picks: 8 Art Events to See in New York This Week.” Artnet.com. October 25, 2017
2016
Bennett, Molly Jean. “Martha Friedman’s Two Person Operating System.” The Dilettante Army. March 2016
Brathwaite, Hunter. “Reviews in Brief: Martha Friedman,” Blouinartinfo.com. February 2016
2015
Heddaya, Mostafa. “Q&A: PAMM Curator Diana Nawi’s Miami.” Blouinartinfo.com. December 10, 2015
Levin, Jordan. “Art Basel- ‘Pore’ at Locust Projects a Dance of Moods.” The Miami Herald. December 4, 2015
“Let the Bile Flow.” The Art Newspaper. December 4, 2015
Uszerowicz, Monica. “Two Artists Give Shape to Our Outer and Inner Selves.” Hyperallergic. December 4, 2015
Meier, Allison. “A Battle Between Body, Blood, and Bile Through Dance and Sculpture.” Hyperallergic. December 4, 2015
Phillips, Kaitlin. “In the Land of Women.” Artforum. December 2, 2015
Creahan, Daniel. “AO On-Site: Art Week Miami Opening Night, December 1st, 2015.” AO. December 2, 2015
Indrisek, Scott. “Beyond the Fairs: Must-See Exhibitions in Miami During ABMB.” Blouinartinfo.com. December 1, 2015
Cascone, Sarah. “Wyclef, Deitch Get the Partying Masses Warmed Up at Art Basel in Miami Beach.” Artnet. December 1, 2015
Vartanian, Hrag. “Your Concise Guide to the 2015 Miami Art Fairs.” Hyperallergic. December 1, 2015
Pini, Gary. “Mega Guide to Art Basel Miami Beach 2015.” Paper. November 23, 2015
Lengel, Rebekah Lanae. “A Sculptor and a Dancer Collaborate on ‘Pore’ at Locust Projects.” The Miami Herald. November 6, 2015
2012
Yau, John. “From the Pictorial to the Abstract: The Recent Sculpture of Martha Friedman.” Hyperallergic.com. September 16, 2012
Kerr, Merrily. “Martha Friedman.” Time Out New York. October 11-17, 2012
“Goings On About Town: Art; Martha Friedman,” The New Yorker. October 2012
Belasco, Daniel. “Martha Friedman in the Studio with Daniel Belasco.” Art in America. February 2012
2010
Peetz, John Arthur. “Martha Friedman: 500 Words.” Artforum.com. September 9, 2010
Hodges, Michael H. “New Fall Exhibits Riveting.” Detroit News. September 30, 2010
Bergerson, Chris. “At the deCordova: ‘Rubbers’ will stretch your imagination.” The Metro West Daily News. October 7, 2010
Hodges, Michael H. “Artists inspired buildings in MoCAD show.” The Detroit News. October 14, 2010
Einspruch, Frank. “Visual Arts Review.” The Arts Fuse. October 27, 2010
2009
Grayson, Kathy (Ed.). “New York Minute: Sixty Artists on the New York Scene.” Miami: O.H.W.O.W. September 2009
Madden, Kathleen (Ed.). “In the Between.” (Ex. cat), London: Egeran Art Advisory. September 2009
Douglas, Sarah. “Summer in the City: Group Shows,” Artinfo. July 24, 2009
Robinson, Walter. “Weekend Update.” Artnet. July 22, 2009
Gelber, Eric. “Martha Friedman: The Organization of Batter at Wallspace.” Artcritical. May 14, 2009
Steiner, Rochelle and Abigail Clark. Trapdoor, Public Art Fund, April 2009
Momin, Shamim M. “Future Greats.” Art Review. March 2009
2008
Vogel, Carol. “Inside Art: Appetite For Sculpture.” The New York Times. November 7, 2008
2006
“Bunch, Alliance and Dissolve.” (Ex. cat), New York: Public Holiday Projects. November 2006
Saltz, Jerry. “The Undead of Art History.” The Village Voice. October 30, 2006
Fry, Naomi. “EAF06: 2006 Emerging Artist Exhibition.” Critics’ Pick, Artforum.com. October 6, 2006
Alemani, Cecilia. “Mystic River.” Critics’ Pick, ArtForum.com. May 31, 2006
“Mystic River.” (Ex. cat), May 2006
Cotter, Holland. “Art in Review: Mystic River.” The New York Times. May 19, 2006
“Dynasty.” (Ex. cat), March 2006
2005
“ETC.” exhibition catalogue, September 2005
Cotter, Holland. “Art in Review: ‘Justin Lowe.” The New York Times. August 5, 2005
North Drive Press Issue 2, collaboration with Rachel Harrison
2004
Johnson, Ken. “The Reality of Things.” The New York Times. June 18, 2004
Ammirati, Domenick. “Art in the Office.” Critics’ Picks, ArtForum.com. April 13, 2004
Selbach, Gerard. “Buy American.” Paris Art. March 6, 2004
Projects & commissions
2019
NEA grant recipient in collaboration with Susan Marshall Dance Company
2017
Visiting Artist Fellowship, Urban Glass, Brooklyn, NY
2016
NEA grant recipient in collaboration with Susan Marshall Dance Company
2014
Costumes and stage set for Silas Riener and Rashaun Mitchell, River to River Festival, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New York, NY
2013
Frieze Sculpture Park, Curated by Tom Eccles, New York, NY
Stage Backdrop for the Spring Dance Festival, with choreography by Merce Cunningham-Silas Riener, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
2011
Curator, Forcemeat, Wallspace Gallery, New York, NY
2008
Sculpture for Trapdoor, Public Art Fund, Brooklyn, NY
2006
Sculpture for EAF 06, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, NY
Teaching
Present
Director & Senior Lecturer, Program in Visual Arts, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. Classes taught: Senior Seminar, Junior Seminar, Advanced Sculpture, Introductory Sculpture, Body/Object
2011-2017
Full-time lecturer, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
2014
Acting Director of the Visual Arts Program, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
2009-2011
Part-time lecturer, Princeton University, Introductory Sculpture, Princeton, NJ
2008
Part-time Lecturer, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, Sculpture I, Artistic Practice I & II, New Brunswick, NJ
2007-2009
The Cooper Union, 3DD (Foundational Sculpture), New York, NY
2006
Adjunct Professor, Yale University, Introductory Sculpture, New Haven, CT
2005
Mold Making Masterclass, New York University, New York, NY
The Cooper Union, Instructor Casting Techniques/Foundry, New York, NY
The Cooper Union, Co-instructor Advanced Sculpture, New York, NY
2003
Instructor, Wesleyan University, Introduction to Sculpture, Middletown, CT
