Julie Freeman

Julie Freeman works with natural systems and emergent technologies. Her large scale installations and online artworks have, since the early 1990s, pioneered her conceptual and critical approach to working with real-time data as a living and malleable art material. Julie translates data from natural sources into kinetic sculptures, physical objects, images, sound compositions and animations. Her work explores the relationship between science and the living world, questioning the use of technology in how we translate and perceive nature. A mix of artist and computer scientist, she often works collaboratively and experimentally with organisations, scientists and curators to develop and produce works, projects and exhibitions around the concept of data and its impact on us.

Over the past 20 years, her work has been shown at leading institutions including: ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe; the V&A, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Barbican Center and the Science Museum, London; and the Lowry, Salford. Julie has won awards from the Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England. She is a TED senior fellow and holds a PhD from Queen Mary University of London. She founded the Open Data Institute’s art programme ‘Data as Culture’ where she is Associate Artist and Artist in Residence on the Power and Diplomacy project. She is co-founder of Fine Acts and leads the Translating Nature studio. Julie lives and works in Margate.