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DAMON FREED bruno david gallery Town & Country
CopyrightEdition©2022 Damon
Cover image: Main
Damon Freed Town & Country November 19, 2021 - March 6, 2022 Bruno David Gallery 7513 Forsyth Boulevard Saint Louis, Missouri 63105,
and Bruno
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of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written
Editor: Bruno
All
Town & Country” at Bruno
Photographs by Bruno
Designer Assistant: Claudia
David Printed in USA All works courtesy of Damon
First Freed David Gallery Rights part permission David Gallery
of Bruno
David Catalogue Designer: Mary
with the online exhibition
View, (detail) 2018 Oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9
“ David Gallery. L. Kate Charles R. Freed David Gallery David Gallery Street cm.)
and Bruno
ThisFounder/Director:www.brunodavidgallery.cominfo@brunodavidgallery.comU.S.A.BrunoL.Davidcataloguewaspublishedinconjunction
CONTENTS ON MY LANDSCAPES BY DAMON FREED AFTERWORD BY BRUNO L. DAVID CHECKLIST AND IMAGES OF THE BIOGRAPHYEXHIBITION
I work directly from nature to create my charcoal drawings and I make fully chromatic acrylic and oil paintings from the drawings afterwards inside of the studio. This is my process and much to do with the final paintings stems from the initial energy invested and displayed onto the surface of the drawings. The early marks in the drawings, the bold zags and swipes and squiggles feed the color and excitement of the paintings. It must be said that my color is not naturalistic, or at least not naturalistic in its faithfulness to nature. My color is faithful to my spirit, to the spontaneity and pizzazz of my sitting in nature in the spring and summer months communing with the light of the sun, the invigorating wind, and amongst the delight of fresh cut grass, new growth, and scented flowers. My paintings are as much depictions of myself in this way as they are of the internal structure and sensations of nature.
6 ON MY LANDSCAPES BY DAMON FREED
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And this brings me to my indebtedness to the Post-Impressionist’s and to the Fauve’s use of color and mark making. It was van Gogh, Gauguin, Derain and Gabriele Munter and Matisse and Kandinsky that first utilized arbitrary coloration and brushwork to fulfill their inner emotions and stylistic needs. Therefore, my paintings follow, in a way, this tradition of individualistic correspondence with nature.
Through my nonobjective abstractions and landscape innovation I have furthered progress in its direction! In the direction of the Fauves.
In my landscapes I am only connected to the Fauves’ use of the form as a place to push color and mark making as an innovation in technique. In my era, the combining of fluorescence into traditional colors as far as is known is my sophistication. Uniquely, mine. Others have implied as such in standalone works, yet their integrations are lacking!
Technically, there are three ways in which I interact with a landscape painting while working. My conscious mind interprets the scene and draws it out – balances it to its good side – while my subconscious mind adds to it a mys tery of nuances that can be reflected upon later by myself and altered if need be. And by controlling my hand onto the support I cannot entirely predict my own outcomes. Between the possible shakiness of my hand and standing positions, applying the paint, at times, is uncontrollable. Also, the nature of the materials can be entropic thereby accidental byproducts are produced, at times! We call these imperfections. And it is a matter of accepting them, or not, at times.
And it is difficult to speak of structure considering my landscape paintings. The kind of structure I find in nature is often not rigid, but flowing and lively, like the emotions and the spirit. Even if architecture is a part of my vision, I paint it without an edge, without the strict laws of perspective. It is true that I start most of my paintings with a black outline of sorts, a loosely knitted structure. The color often comes later and is frequently informed by the energy of the drawn marks, tones, and squiggles, which is to say, my color does not follow the rules given us by nature. You may well discover a pink tree or a purple field in one of my paintings.
8 AFTERWORD BY BRUNO L. DAVID
Damon Freed works and lives in Missouri. He received an M.F.A. from Hunter College, New York, and a B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts, New York. He published “Twonism (Thoughts, Essays, and Poems)”-January 2017; “The Correspondence of Color”-March 2018; and most recently “TWONISM II”-2020. He lives and works in Sedalia, Missouri. Support for the creation of significant new works of art has been the core to the mission and program of the Bruno David Gallery since its founding in 2005. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Damon Freed for his thoughtful essay. I am deeply grateful to Mary Kate Charles, who gave much time, talent, and expertise to the production of this catalogue. Invaluable gallery staff support for the exhibition was provided by Alex McLaughlin, Bonnie Dana, Arthur Baue, and Naomi Yu.
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Freed’s new city and country landscapes are connected to the Fauves’ use of the structure as a place to push color and mark making as an innovation in technique. Today, the combining of fluorescence into traditional colors as far as is known is his sophistication. Uniquely, his. Others have suggested as such in individual works, yet their integrations are lacking! Through his nonobjective abstractions and landscape innovation Freed has furthered progress in its direction! In the direction of the Fauves.
I am pleased to present, Town & Country an exhibition by Damon Freed. This is Freed’s eighth exhibition with the Damongallery.
10 Happiness (Damon Freed) 2021 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 48 inches (152.4 x 121.9 cm)
11 CHECKLIST & IMAGES OF THE EXHIBITION
12 Cloudscape 2020 Acrylic on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
13 Untitled #27 Oil2017on canvas 34 x 26 inches (86.4 x 66 cm)
14 The Raven 2019 Oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
15 Main Street View Acrylic2018 on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
16 Untitled #29 2017 Oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
17 The Last Dandelion on Earth Oil2021and Acrylic on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
18 (Detail) Untitled #26 2017 Oil on canvas 34 x 26 inches (86.4 x 66 cm)
19 Untitled #35 Acrylic2020 on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9 cm)
20 (Detail) The American Flag 2017 Oil on canvas 34 x 26 inches (86.4 x 66 cm)
21 Quarantine Supper Acrylic2021 on canvas 27 x 40 inches (68.6 x 101.6 cm)
22 It’s in the Marks 2018 Acrylic on canvas 26 x 34 inches (66 x 86.4 cm)
23 Swine Pavilion Oil2017on canvas 48 x 72 inches (121.9 x 182.9 cm)
24 Paradise Found 2018 Acrylic on canvas 48 x 72 inches (121.9 x 182.9 cm)
25 Blood River (Ambiguity) Acrylic2021 on canvas 22 x 30 inches (55.9 x 76.2 cm)
26 A Field 2021 Acrylic on canvas 19.5 x 16 inches (49.5 x 40.6 cm)
27 Bothwell State Park by Night Acrylic2021 on canvas 72 x 72 inches (182.9 x 182.9 cm)
28 Resurrection 2020 Acrylic on canvas 46 x 60 inches (116.8 x 152.4 cm)
29 Cabin in the Woods Oil2018on canvas 48 x 72 inches (121.9 x 182.9 cm)
30 Beauty (A Path) 2018 Oil on canvas 34 x 26 inches (86.4 x 66 cm)
31 Stream Acrylic2020 on canvas 20 x 18.5 inches (50.8 x 47 cm)
32 A November Song 2021 Oil and acrylic on canvas 72 x 72 inches (182.88 x 182.88 cm)
33 The Road Oil2019on gessoed hot press paper 35 x 23 inches (88.9 x 58.4 cm)
34 Surrender (Friendly Prairie) 2021 Acrylic on canvas 36 x 48 inches (91.4 x 121.9cm)
35 We Rise Acrylic2019 on canvas 48 x 48 inches (121.9 x 121.9 cm)
36 Nature 2018 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 inches (152.4 x 152.4 cm)
37 Knowledge Acrylic2020 on canvas 46 x 60 inches (116.8 x 152.4 cm)
38 An Eddy or an Eye! (Balance) 2021 Oil and Acrylic on canvas 22 x 30 inches (55.9 x 76.2 cm)
39 Nature’s Providence Oil2017on canvas 54 x 45 inches (137.2 x 114.3 cm)
40 Hydra (Reason) 2021 Acrylic and Oil on canvas 22 x 30 inches (55.9 x 76.2 cm)
41 Campus Acrylic2019 on arches rough pressed paper 29.75 x 40.25 inches (75.56 x 102.23 cm)
42 Untitled #31 Acrylic2019 on canvas 42 x 72 inches (106.7 x 182.9 cm)
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44 Untitled #34 2019 Oil on canvas 26 x 34 inches (66 x 86.4 cm)
45 God and Mother Nature Acrylic2019 on arches rough pressed paper 29.75 x 40.25 inches (75.56 x 102.23 cm)
46 Untitled #33 2019 Oil on canvas 26 x 34 inches (66 x 86.4 cm)
47 Untitled #32 Oil2019on canvas 32 x 48 inches (81.3 x 121.9 cm)
48 Two Trees #1 2017 Oil on canvas 72 x 48 inches (182.9 x 121.9 cm)
49 Wave Oil2021on canvas 22 x 30 inches (55.9 x 76.2 cm)
50 Two Trees #2 2020 Acrylic on canvas 20 x 18.5 inches (50.8 x 47 cm)
51 Pink Bridge Acrylic2020 on canvas 20 x 18.5 inches (50.8 x 47 cm)
52 DAMON FREED: Town & Country at Bruno David Gallery, 2021 - 2022. (Installation View - Detail)
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Three Rivers Community College, “Damon Freed: Grid Games,” Poplar Bluff, MO
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019 Fisher Gallery-LLCA, “Piss and Vinegar”, Sedalia, MO
2015 Bruno David Gallery, “Obstacle and Void,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
2014 Daum Museum of Contemporary Art “Four Point Perspective,” Sedalia, MO
2020 Bruno David Gallery, “Structure and Void,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
2017 Bruno David Gallery, “Landscapes,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
2011 Bruno David Gallery, “Damon Freed: Life Saver,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
M.F.A.EDUCATIONHunter
2012 Bruno David Gallery, “Damon Freed: En Plein Air,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
2009 Bruno David Gallery, “Damon Freed: Calm, Cool, Coherent,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
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B.F.A. School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
2022 Bruno David Gallery, “Town & Country,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
2018 Bruno David Gallery, “The Correspondence of Color,” Saint Louis, MO (catalogue)
DAMON FREED Lives and works in Sedalia, Missouri
2016 Sager-Braudis Gallery, “Damon Freed,” Columbia, MO
College, City University of New York, New York, NY
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, “Damon Freed: Cadence,” Kansas City, MO
In Good Company, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO Paperworks, Liberty Center Loft Gallery, Sedalia, MO 2014 OVERVIEW_2014, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2013 Summer Invitational, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO Blue, White, and Red, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2021 Bilingual: Abstract & Figurative, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2020 OVERVIEW_2020, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2019 OVERVIEW_2019, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2018 OVERVIEW_2018, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2017 OVERVIEW_2017, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2015 AND / OR, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO (catalogue)
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2012 December Group Show, Liberty Center Loft Gallery, Sedalia, MO October Group Show, Liberty Center Loft Gallery, Sedalia, MO 2010 RECESSION REJUVENATIONS, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 2009 OVERVIEW_09, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO Gallery Selections: Small Scale Works, Tobey Fine Arts, New York 2006 Correspondence to a Single Point: A Survey of Geometric Abstraction, Tobey Fine Arts, New York Hum, Curated by Shinsuke Aso, Tobey Fine Arts, New York 2003 The Wild Bunch, Curated by Tim Rollins, White Box Gallery, New York
2003GRANTS/AWARDSHonors—School of Visual Arts, New York 2002 Juan Gonzales Award—School of Visual Arts, New York 2001 Fine Arts Departmental Grant—School of Visual Arts, New York 2000 Silas H. Rhodes Merit Scholarship—School of Visual Arts, New York Dr. Tony Racela Grant—State Fair Community College
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
61 Freed,BIBLIOGRAPHYDamon.
“On my Landscapes”, Esssay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2022 Pickering, Dustin. “Damon Freed”, Parrot Literary Corner TV, New York, September 8, 2021 Bemiss, Faith “Freed, artist and poets, publishes new book”, Sedalia Democrat, Missouri, April 15, 2021 Marks, Kerry. “Damon Freed”, HEC-TV, January 24, 2020 Meersohn, Rayan E. V. “Leslie Laskey”, Wall Street International Magazine, January 2020 Exilus, Yves A. Video Interview, YouTube, (9:32 minutes, December 3, 2019. https://youtu.be/Uh_4nO2kE_k Rick Jey “Damon Freed: Interview”, Mid-Missouri Art News, Missouri, June 25, 2019 Freed, Damon. “The Correspondence of Color”, Esssay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2018 Marks, Kerry. “The Bruno David Gallery’s Continues to Promote Contemporary Art”, HEC-TV, February 26, 2018 Johnson, Timothy “Twonism (Thoughts, Essays, and Poems)”, Art Book, 2018 & Freed, Damon. Helsel, Dennis. “Damon Freed’s Landscape”, Esssay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2017 Marks, Kerry. “Damon Freed: An Interview”, HEC-TV, January 17, 2017 Schwartz, Martin. “It’s All Relative”, Missouri Life, December 9, 2016 Hartman, Tanya. “Selfless: The Work of Damon Freed”, Esssay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2015 Bemiss, Faith. “SFCC art instructors show variety of work at Daum”, Sedalia Democrat, October 3, 2014 Bemiss, Faith. “How Paperworks”, Sedalia Democrat, July 19-20, 2014 Baran, Jessica. “Life Saver at Bruno David gallery”, Riverfront Times, December 15, 2011 Cooper, Ivy. “Winter wondering at Bruno David Gallery”, St. Louis Beacon, December 5, 2011 Gordon, Kara. “Calibration”, Esssay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2011 Siegel, Kyle. “SNJ Community Profile”, Sedalia News Journal, September 6, 2011 Cooper, Ivy. “Damon Freed”, St. Louis Beacon, March 19, 2009 Baran, Jessica. “Damon Freed: Calm, Cool, Coherent”, Riverfront Times, March 25, 2009 Weant, Nancy. “Damon Freed: Calm, Cool, Coherent”, Essay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2009 Nail, Sarah. “Easy on the Eyes”, Sedalia Democrat, September 18, 2008
“Douglass Freed: Reflective Landscapes”, Interview, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2015 “Kelley Johnson: New Paintings”, Essay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2013 “Damon Freed: En Plein Air”, Poems, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2012 “Damon Freed: Life Saver”, Poems, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2011
PUBLICATIONS
“On my Landscapes”, Esssay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, Exhibition catalogue, 2022 “TWONISM”, Damon Freed, 2020 “The Correspondence of Color”, Damon Freed, 2018 “TWONISM”, Damon Freed, 2017 “Structure and Void,” SoundCloud podcast, (7:32 minutes), 2019
BY DAMON FREED
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64 goodartnews.com/twitter.com/bdavidgalleryfacebook.com/bruno.david.galleryinstagram.com/brunodavidgallery/#ArtCatalog#ArtBook#ArtPublication#ArtExhibition#GoSeeArt#TownAndCountry#DamonFreed#BrunoDavidGallery@bdavidgallerybrunodavidprojects.combrunodavidgallery.com
65 Sara Ghazi Asadollahi Laura JillTerryAlexCarmonJudyBunnyMichaelLisaHeatherBeardBennettK.BlattByronBursonChildColangeloCouwenbergJamesConradDownen Damon Freed Yvette Drury Dubinsky Douglass Freed Richard Hull Kelley Johnson Chris Kahler Leslie Laskey Justin Henry Miller James Austin Murray Yvonne Osei Patricia Olynyk Charles P. Reay Daniel Raedeke Tom MonikaMonikaMarkBuzzThomasChristinaCharlesFrankReedSchwaigerSchwallShmigelSleetSpectorTraversWulfersWeiss ARTISTS