Reflecting On Our Own Identities: Leo Crane’s ‘Nude Triumphant’ Released Online
Skwigly
Ahead of Leo Crane‘s special event at this year’s Flatpack Festival, Skwigly can exclusively reveal the online launch of his latest film, Nude Triumphant, produced by Animate.
Described as a “spectacular and exquisite visual quest”, Nude Triumphant follows Jay, who is trapped in the relentless City until he is forced to confront his relationship with Time and himself.
The short film combines painting from life with experimental digital animation, and was produced during the Covid-19 lockdown with a community of Queer and intersectional life models and artists. The film encourages us to pause and reflect, discovering our unique identities in stillness and building a healthier relationship with time and with ourselves.
Speaking to Skwigly, Leo talks about how the film came to fruition :
Nude Triumphant has helped us reaffirm the creative community that built our studio Figuration. Inspired by Roy Joseph Butler’s blog A London Model, we gathered first-hand accounts of creativity, body positivity and mental well being at our regular live art events. These became the basis not only for the story but also the team who turned it into the hand-painted animation you see today. As lockdown hit, we shifted from live events to remote production, finding extra resonance in the film’s themes of stillness and self-reflection. This was our silver lining: being able to concentrate fully on getting the film made and writing the accompanying book Contemporary Figures in Watercolour.
Following it’s online release today, the film will be at the heart of a collaborative, cross-artform celebration of identity; including live performances, exhibitions, screenings, talks and public workshops. Several events took place before lockdown, while more live experiences are planned as soon as is safely possible. The first of these will be a special life drawing event at Flatpack Festival on the 28th May (for more details click here).
Watch the full film below
Writer Roy Joseph Butler and Director Leo Crane introduce the watercolour animation Nude Triumphant
For more information on the film, life drawing event, exhibition and book, visit: figuration.co/nt-launch