Beginnings — was a one year gallery in Greenpoint, Brooklyn from 2012-13. Forest created the visual identity and website, designed all printed matter and participated as a co-curator responsible for programing the space (alongside Anni Altshuler, Archie Lee Coates IV, Matthew Giordano, Caroline Hwang, Andy Jenkins, and Matt Leines). Beginnings — was a traditional albeit temporary gallery and a digital platform to “present art in a welcoming environment.” Forest’s design elements expanded the impact of this intention beyond the physical storefront space, giving a sense of elegance and cohesion to the project.

Working with curators and artists to produce a series of promotional postcards and newspaper broadsheets, Forest designed materials using a template-type system that highlighted the individual focus of each show, titles such as “Radiant Energy,” or “Heap Gives Up,” and carried on the gallery’s distinct visual identity.

Forest helped produce and direct video segments corresponding to gallery shows or events, in a series called Beginnings Broadcasting Group (BBG). Contracting independent cinematographers, leading the interview sessions and supervising the editing process, we created idiosyncratic and memorable portraits for three of the artists who showed work in the gallery.

Group shows called “The Beginning” and “The End” conceptually bookended the year. The elements of design that Forest built into Beginnings — provided a framework of respect for the participating artists and their work, as key to the project’s success as the physical location itself. Passion without rigor is sweet but fails to nourish. A casual idea can be elevated by clean and thoughtful direction.