Art for Lawyers is a 9 minute collaborative documentary made by Rory Waudby-Tolley, who was invited to take up an art residency at the law firm Pinsent Masons. Via Short of the Week:
Invited to complete an arts residency at an international law firm in the City, Waudby-Tolley was puzzled over the direction he should take, so naturally he turned to short film and made the animated documentary Art for Lawyers, which focuses on having to make art for lawyers.
Recording a bunch of interview with employees of the law firm, Waudby-Tolley edited them down into what he describes as “something that vaguely makes sense” before animating them in a “fairly loose way” and of course, accompanying them with a fun theme tune by Tom Rosenthal. Aiming to “unlock the complex mysteries of human creativity and please his corporate client”, the London-based animator’s 9-min experimental film once again features the same warmth, humour and fun animation style that made Mr Madila so popular.
Why would a law firm be offering an art residency, you might ask? Pinsent Masons has hosted other artists before, as well as brought in exhibitions. The firm also has an art collection of its own. According to Legal 500:
Pinsent Masons LLP has ‘an understanding of the complexities of artwork and sensitivities in relation to cultural art in particular’. The practice, which focuses on commercial and transactional art matters for a broad array of clients, is headed by Richard Hart, who has ‘complete knowledge’ of the movement and control of art and cultural property. Fionnuala Rogers is ‘knowledgeable and passionate about this area’.