Gritty The Philly Flyers Mascot Strips Down For Official Nude Painting
Image via Philadelphia Flyers
Gritty isn’t just a mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers, he also could very well be an ambassador for body positivity.
Just last year, the bearded giant had his perspective refined after a Queer Eye makeover, and it seems that this confidence is still shining through. At a game between the Philly Flyers and the Boston Bruins last month, Gritty removed his clothing in front of cameras to pose for a nude portrait.
The furry figure arrived at the scene draped in a silky nightshirt, before peeling it off to be painted by Virginia-based artist Benjamin Davis.
Davis later shared that the session felt “surreal,” telling PhillyVoice, via Boing Boing, that he was “spaced out” by Gritty’s “gaze, his body — his essence, really.” Not forgetting, Gritty’s very prominent belly button.
Hang this over the Mona Lisa pic.twitter.com/jOis8gJi1S
— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) February 4, 2021
The entire process took about 90 minutes.
Davis, who was commissioned by the Flyers to paint Gritty, told PhillyVoice that he illustrates outside of his full-time job, and hopes this exposure will propel his interest in art into a full-time role.
The ice hockey team has put up the single portrait, entitled Gritty Reclined, on a sweepstakes for donators of the Flyers Charities.
Paint me like one of your French jawns pic.twitter.com/iYfB1bOHV0
— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) February 4, 2021
Art is only as beautiful as its subject pic.twitter.com/KFG8HrYYeU
— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) February 4, 2021
We can't wait to see how this @GrittyNHL painting turns out. 🎨#AnytimeAnywhere pic.twitter.com/h90jZvopk4
— NHL on NBC Sports (@NHLonNBCSports) February 4, 2021
[via Boing Boing and PhillyVoice, images via various sources]
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