IC Interview: Adam Forrester
Adam Forrester, filmmaker and photographer, was awarded a 2016 IC Travel Grant research and development for his project Devil Town. Part media archive, part traveling exhibition, and part printed tabloid, Devil Town is a visual and audible representation of the narrative that led to the town of Phenix City, Alabama earning the moniker of “Sin City, USA.” '
Adam was recently interviewed by IC Steering Committee member Jody Fausett.
What are you currently working on?
Right now I’m putting together a small body of work for an upcoming group show in Atlanta. I’m also in early production on a feature-length documentary about Devil Town.
How has the pandemic affected your art practice and your “needs” as an artist?
Early on in the pandemic, I saw quarantine as a time to take a step back and work on so many grant applications. It was really the perfect time to do that. I was also able to participate in residencies and workshops that normally would be held at specific locations like NYC, for example, or the cost would be out of reach. So many institutions and organizations have offered programming and resources for everyone with internet access for free that I’ve tried to take advantage of that as much as I can.
As far as making work, my practice has gotten a little slower, but that’s totally okay, going out in the world to make photographs or capture video footage looks a little different now: generally outside, one to two people featured, masks and social distance, and just the general cautiousness of doing anything with anyone or going anywhere, just kind of slows the whole thing down. I’ve never been the kind of artist that is always in the studio, I’m usually out in the world meeting people and having conversations. My work has been generally more social in that sense, but now the work is shifting to more studio-based work too. I’ve been experimenting with recreating scenes from archival footage inside of a studio.
How has your Idea Capital Grant impacted your practice?
I think the Idea Capital Grant was the seed funding that I needed to get my project off the ground. The project has morphed and grown exponentially since the Idea Capital Grant. So I needed to apply for more funding and the Idea Capital Grant was such a nice way for me to say to other funders, this work is supported, someone believes in it other than just me. That’s incredibly valuable for supporting a project and sustaining a practice.
Any new accolades or project news?
I exhibited some of this work in a group show entitled, TRANCEND, 9th Annual Art of Community Exhibition as an artist in residence for The Creatives Project. In the midst of making the project that was funded by Idea Capital, I made two other short films, both of which are traveling on the pandemic film festival circuit right now. I was also awarded a R&D grant from the Southern Documentary Fund for the documentary version of this project, and I’ll be attending an artist in residence at Stove Works in 2021 to work further on the fine art portion of the project.
What impact did your Idea Capital Grant have on your practice and on the Atlanta community?
I am so absolutely grateful for Idea Capital’s willingness to invest in my own early-stage project and my own emerging career as an artist. There are very few funding opportunities for the early stage of a project, and for emerging artists.I feel heard, supported, and embraced. Idea Capital is an organization that truly invests in the future of artists in our city. All of us artists here are just smitten with an organization like Idea Capital that believes in us so much.
