Prior to joining the Courtauld, Martin worked in a variety of positions in galleries, at the Photographers’ Gallery and at the Hayward Gallery in London, as Head of Exhibitions from 1996, and Acting Director, 2005/6. While at the Hayward he curated and organised a wide range of exhibitions, and oversaw the shaping and delivery of a broad programme of exhibitions at the Hayward, many of which showed abroad, and National Touring Exhibitions in the UK. These include Magritte, 1992; Julian Opie, 1993; Roger Hilton, 1993; The Epic & the Everyday: Contemporary Photographic Art, 1994; Yves Klein, 1995; Art and Power: Europe under the Dictators, 1995; Francis Bacon: The Human Body, 1998; Spectacular Bodies: The Human Body in Art and Science from Leonardo to Now, 2000; Saved! 100 Years of the National Art Collections Fund, 2003; Roy Lichtenstein, 2004, and Dan Flavin, 2006. Martin was Head of the MA Curating Programme from 2007 to 2024.
Martin’s interests include modern and contemporary museums and galleries and curatorship, and the modern and recent history of curating, exhibitions and display. He is a consultant on art and exhibition projects, and writes on contemporary art, photography and exhibitions.
Recent Publications
- Antony Gormley, Rizzoli, New York, 2017
- Antony Gormley. Royal Academy of Arts, 2019
- Richard Bryant, Lund Humphries, 2025
Other professional activities
- Programme Advisor, Two Temple Place, London, 2010 –
- Independent consultant, curator and writer on art
- External Examiner, MA Curating, University of Kent