Cincinnati-Based Photographer Asa Featherstone IV on ‘Foundations of Memory’ 

Written by Mackenzie Manley, Content Specialist, Downtown Main Library 

Asa Featherstone’s history with photography goes back to his childhood; his grandfather, a painter, would take him and his siblings to his art studio. Seeing that he had a sharp eye, Asa’s grandfather gifted him one of his old 35-millimeter cameras.  It’s been a part of his life ever since.  

Now, the Cincinnati-based photographer, curator, and founder will bring his skills to the Library via a 3-week workshop titled Foundations of Memory. The Library caught up with Asa ahead of his workshop series to chat about his personal process, what participants can expect, and more.  

Not only do photos preserve memories, but Asa also reflected that they’re akin to time travel.  

“My great grandpa is one of the first Black owners of a gas station in Michigan, and I never knew that version of him until he passed and I saw his images,” Asa said. “In looking at these images, I got new stories and was transported to that place. I was able to talk to other folks who were around during that time and really expand my idea of legacy and my family.” 

Asa’s has worked with clients like The New York Times, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, Google, the WNBA, and American Airlines. His photographs have been recognized by TIME as one of the Top 100 Portraits of the Year (2020), and his past fellowships include the Animating Museums Fellowship at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (2017). He’s currently an Environmental Justice Fellow for the Black Midwest Initiative.    

Foundations of Memory 

In Foundations of Memory, participants will learn about personal archiving, can share and reflect on the important artifacts in their collections, and learn how to turn their memories into works of art.  

“Archiving, because of the word, can feel historic and dry, but it can be fun and engaging,” Asa said. “Learning about your community, your people, and yourself through the process is super rewarding. I hope people have a good time, learn a couple skills, and realize it’s less daunting than you think.” 

View the lineup below:  

• Tuesday, Nov. 4: What is an archive? Why is it important? Lecture and activity.  
• Tuesday, Nov. 11: Archival methods, examples, and tour of the Cincinnati Story Center. Discuss creating an archival project with personal photos and artifacts.  
• Tuesday, Nov. 18: Screening of Laying the Foundation & Student Project Showcase 

Each class will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6-8 p.m. at the Downtown Main Library in the Cincinnati Story Center located on the second floor of the south building. 

Creating a Personal Archive 

Participants can bring photographs and other ephemera to the workshops. If you want to preserve it, bring it. Even something like an old phone, Asa explained, can be a record of your time and family.   

In the internet age especially, Asa wants to teach people how to archive their own stories so that they’re not lost for future generations.  

“People have an innate need to slow down, make these memories, and capture them,” Asa said, adding that if he can equip people with archiving skills, they can then bring the knowledge to their community.  

While Asa said he is typically calculated in his approach to work, the workshops feel more like a natural progression of projects from the past few years.  

“Archival storytelling is incredibly powerful. I didn’t necessarily realize that power until I did a project in 2019 called On Belonging, which was a storytelling project,” Asa said, adding that he was able to document people not only in the places they currently reside, but in environments they maybe didn’t see themselves in.   

“The way people felt seen, heard, and valued by seeing them reflected in a space gave me a little brain blast of what I could potentially do moving forward,” Asa said.  

This isn’t the first time Asa has worked with the Library. In 2021 or 2022, Asa said they held a community archiving event, specifically for the Black community, in which people could bring in photos from different time periods in Over-the-Rhine.  

“There was something intangible that happened there,” Asa said. “It was really special to see the conversations that were sparked not necessarily by my work, but they were looking at each other’s photographs and having conversations about their neighborhood, their place, and their families.”  

Asa grew up homeschooled and lived in multiple places, including Grand Rapids, Michigan, Columbus, Ohio and Detroit. He later settled in the Queen City after attending the University of Cincinnati. Growing up as a homeschooler, his family spent a lot of time at public libraries.  

“It has become a second home to me. I grew up around it,” Asa said, adding that when he travels he looks to libraries. “That space is designed to help you and give you information. There are not any other spaces, at least in the United States, that do that for free.” 

As an artist, Asa said being able to work with the Library — one of his favorite places — is invaluable. He added that it’s a testament to a Library’s role not only in storytelling but providing resources that better communities.