Ann Freedman DX

May you introduce yourself to the court?

Hi! My name is Ann Freedman, I am or well….used to be an art dealer.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in NYC, nothing like eating a chop cheese at the deli, you know the one 3 blocks away from fifth avenue.

What gallery did you work at?

I worked at knoedler for 32 years before I was unfortunately given….a leave of absence.

( more emotional)

Why are you here today?

I was sued by my client Desoles, after they believed I knowingly sold them counterfeit artwork.

(More serious emotion)

Was that the truth?

For starters, I was FOOLED PEOPLE! Not only did they seem like the real deal, the artworks had been ADORED by the art-world! I guess…I ended up getting caught up in the excitement…I would’ve never touched these pieces if I had any doubts about em.

How did you discover these pieces?

Rosales, a friend of my coworker Jamie, said she wanted to show me a Rothko inside her catalogue….next thing I know, I see Rosales at our gallery!

Frame 2: Rosales/Fraud

Now let’s talk about the situation. What did she bring to knoedler?

Although I didn’t know her name at first, the gal came in well dressed Aand soft spoken…didn’t seem untrustworthy at all. That’s when I noticed she had the Rothko work on paper with her, but later I found out that she had a whole collection.

What’s in the Rosales collection?

pause

The collection contained brilliant and undiscovered paintings ranging from Rothkos, Pollocks, and Motherwells.

(whenever I say brilliant I need to seem truly excited recalling that)

What were your initial thoughts after viewing this painting?

Pause

When Jamie unwrapped it, I tought it was absolutely beautiful. I saw the signature on the back, it was dated—It looked real.

(Make eye contact in the end and emotion.)

What did you do afterwards?

Pause

After looking in awe at the painting for what seemed like AGES! I proceeded to ask Rosales about the origins of the owner.

What did she say about its origins?

Pause

She made it clear that the name of the client had been requested to remain confidential.

Is this common in your line of work?

Yes, it’s a common practice to not reveal your name. Many do it to protect their personal safety and privacy.

What did she mention about the seller?

She has mentioned how a Swiss client wanted to sell their father’s collection.

What did you do after learning about this?

Pause

I let her know that I was interested, but first wanted to show the best minds in the Business, (pause) one artwork at a time to get their opinion.

A little dramatic

Frame 3: Art Dealer

What experts did you consult with to review the Rothko?

Pause

Well I gathered a team around this project. I hired Stephen Polcari, an art historian and expert in abstract expressionism, to review the works, and I also consulted wth other leading external experts.

How did you authenticate the pieces?

Pause

Since I am no master at art, I made sure to have three experts on set, a conservator, connoisseur and an art historian.

What does an art historian do?

Pause

An art historian like polcari, the one we consulted, studies the history of an artist and timeline of a new piece, tying them back to the artist.

Based on their review, did you receive a green light to move forward?

Pause

Yes,absolutely. Polcari, the art historian gave us the confidence we needed and confirmed the timeline to us.

What does an art connoisseur do?

Pause

The connoisseurs tell us if the piece is attributed to the artists catalog through visuals. After the 95 Rothko was released, that’s were David Anfam, the connoisseur, came into the picture.

What did he do afterwards?

Pause

He loved it so much that he even requested a loan to display it at his very own gallery, which gave me peace of mind.

Did he write that down anywhere?

Pause

No, he didn’t. It’s actually common for experts to share their opinions informally as they don’t usually want to face liability.

The last expert you consulted with was a conservator. What does the conservator do?

Pause

A conservator, like Dana Cranmer looks at the physical aspects of a painting through microscopes to make sure they are consistent with an artists work.

What did the conservator conclude?

Pause

Dana Cranmer, the conservator said she could examine it. Afterwards, she wrote a letter confirming—This is a classic Rothko.

What did you do after hearing all of their opinions?

Pause

After listening to all experts, I looked at the overall picture to come to a conclusion that the work was reliable.

Would you have knowingly sold fakes?

Pause

No, never, it goes against everything I believe in.

Did you think these works were authentic?

Pause

Yes I did, up until that last phone call, I thought they were real…I wanted to be the one to show the world such amazing pieces. I EVEN had a Pollock from the collection hanging up in my HOUSE!