Adidas' 'Forever Developing' Photo Exhibit for NMD Fall ‘17 Launch Showcases Los Angeles Culture

You could hear the party before you saw it. Music reverberated all the way down La Brea, where a line flanked the sides of UNDFTD’s shop, a small pop-up location that’s painted completely black. Inside, a red glow emanated from the ceiling to the brick and plaster walls, where steel beams gridded off one side, giving off that urban vibe they clearly wanted to emulate. It worked.

This was the private preview to celebrate the launch of Adidas' NMD Fall ‘17 line. While new shoes were displayed atop interactive placeholders, the main feature was the “Forever Developing” photography exhibition, NMD x UNDFTD’s collaborative project curated by Brian Willette, Cole Younger, and Marilyn Hue.

The goal was to challenge 12 different photographers to capture Los Angeles with one film camera and a roll of film - all in one day. The exhibit would then display their best photo from that single film roll, and another photo from the usual medium they use.

The results were a true testament to the spirit of diversity in LA. A man sitting in the shadows smiles as a strip of sunlight streams across his face. A mountainous rock stands triumphantly against a clear blue sky. An anonymous figure clips his toenails in front of a shopfront.

From landscape to portraiture to lifestyle, the profound differences between the displayed photographs revealed both artistic integrity and individuality while simultaneously contributing to this city’s undeniably rich culture. Each distinct voice lent by the “Forever Developing” photographers added depth and substance to the chorus that LA sings. It’s a song you’re gonna want to play again and again.

The exhibit will open to the public on July 13; July 15-July 16. It will close on July 19.

---

Written by Chelsey Sanchez

(Photos by: Photo by Erik Voake/Getty Images for adidas)