ITV ‘PRIDENT’ (2021) By Thomas Wolski
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The ITV logo is a polyurethane 3D model primed and coated with an an anti-refelctive paint commonly used in theatre and television production.
Adorned with Thomas Wolski’s signature freehand illustrations in ink the images, celebrating the noise and bustle of pride, are broken up by fractures and spaces allowing the colours of the LGBT community to surge through representing constant movement, change and evolution.
The concept was to celebrate art, music and community with a strong connection to the artists own experiences as LGBTQ+.
 
A reimagining of the iconic ITV visual identity, dubbed ‘Prident’ by the artist, gives LGBTQ+ created content an authentic platform
 
1 JUNE 2021 marked both the start of Pride Month globally and the launch of the latest artistic collaboration for a new ITV ident, a creative project  dedicated specifically to LGBTQ+ produced artwork.
 
Wolski, whose creations are rarely exhibited, was approached to submit a proposal for the broadcaster based on his unique style and reputation for supporting LGBTQ+ charities.
The process involved sourcing a collaborator to co-create the design of a new ident, which resulted in combining Tom’s artwork with moving light and colour through the talents of Rebecca Smith from Urban Projections.
 
Thomas Wolski, based at his Manchester studio, said: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to do something so impactful that will be seen by millions of people around the world. It was quite daunting at the beginning as we were so conscious of connecting to the ITV audience whilst representing the whole LGBTQ+ community.
 
“We were really passionate about making sure it was an authentically LGBTQ+ project and not just another corporate organisation ‘rainbow washing’. ITV blew us away with how much that also meant to them, and the full creative control gave us the chance to play with the art and projection to do something that challenged us both artistically.”
 
The finished ident is a clear representation of all these things. Packed with iconography from drag queen wigs to transgender symbolism, two-thirds of the sculptured ident is covered with Wolski’s signature freehand illustrations with the lower portion an oscillating projection of his scanned drawings and undulating colour.
 
Filmed over two days adjacent to Manchester’s buzzing gay village, the industrial backdrop was chosen because of its meaning for the pair and because of its use as a venue for Manchester Pride, the second largest pride event in the UK.
Wolski, who splits his time between his studio and London, added: “I wanted the images to be a celebration of art, music and community connected to my personal experiences. Manchester was an obvious choice as somewhere I moved back to set up my studio, and where I have celebrated the most prides!
 
“My work is always a fun bold statement and with this piece every time you look into the crowd you see something different, just like pride itself. The fractures and moving colour projection are quite literally changing and evolving as a reflection of the community.
“The platform that ITV have given us is brilliant particularly in a year when the creative arts have really suffered. Personally, being LGBTQ+ doesn’t stop at the end of pride month, and it’s fantastic to be able to use this platform to create something lasting for a mainstream audience that mirrors that evolution.” The ‘Prident’ was shown throughout the month of June 2021 on ITV’s main channel and is accompanied by a short ‘Making of’ documentary available online. link below.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3u2Rk4ytno
 
Sculpture specifications
 
Medium density polyurethane resin board, primed numerous times and the seam has been filled with a polyester body filler with stainless steel rod support.
 
UV resistant light fast black ink, freehand illustration.
 
Dimensions: Length 91cm, Height 45cm, Depth 20cm.
 
Weight: 17KG.
 
2D framed artwork specifications
 
Original freehand illustration in Black UV ink on to mount board.
 
Framed dimensions: Length 89cm, Height 14.5cm, Depth 2cm.
 
Brushed aluminium frame with art glass, the finest glass used in museums and galleries. An antireflective, scratch resistant surface.