Forget-Me-Not

With Work That Fits As Well In Commercial Projects As It Does In Gallery Exhibitions, Emily Forgot Defies Definition. Here, She Explains What Fuels Her Passion For Her Practice.

- Ruth Hamilton

Emily Forgot chose her professional name because of her poor memory, although she’s more than on top of things now. Her career as a freelance designer has seen her working for high-profile clients in art and retail, as well as exhibiting her work in galleries and running a curated online journal.

Emily has gained particular recognition for her Assemblages – wooden architectural scenes that play with the viewer’s perception of 2D and 3D space. It’s an approach that’s typical of the designer’s aesthetic; much of her work is not quite what it seems. We caught up with her to chat about responsible design, riding out the boring bits and why she’s attracted to things that are not quite ‘good taste’.

You’ve managed to retain a strong artistic identity throughout your career. What do you look for in a prospective client?

I think a client with an open mind and an appreciation of my work is always a good start. It needs to feel like a good match, particularly if clients are wanting to use my personal work – although the line between commercial and personal work is blurring more and more these days.

You’ve said that you didn’t plan on being a freelancer, and early in your career you just wanted to be in a studio where you could learn from others. Where do you do your learning now?

I think I said this because I suffer from imposter syndrome and lack confidence in certain areas of my practice. There’s so much value to be had in learning from others. Being a curious person means I’ve found mentors along the way, but just not in the traditional sense. I think, on reflection, it’s not so much of a coincidence that I work for myself. I’m a bit of a control freak so I like to manage the projects I take on myself and find it easy to work on self-initiated projects.