London-based agency krow has developed a creative new initiative to celebrate the contribution of its staff.
In 2017, the agency appointed portrait artist Andrew Bylo as its “portrait-painter-in-residence”, and Bylo has painted all 55 of krow’s team in a format he described as “painted Polaroids” due to the fast turnaround time of each portrait.
Each of the krow team sat for Bylo for just 45 minutes to allow him to create the likenesses in the painted Polaroid style, a 20cm x 14cm portrait in acrylic.
The framed portraits are displayed in krow’s reception area, and other prominent places in the agency.
Malcolm White, the chief strategy officer and founder of krow, said: “Bylo’s genius is in working quickly to seize a recognisable impression of an individual. We commissioned him to celebrate the role our people play in the success of the agency, and to make our office walls far more personal.”
Bylo’s role with krow will be ongoing as each new member of staff will have their portrait painted when they join. When people leave the agency, they can take their portraits with them, signed on the back by all their colleagues.
The agency has also shot a film of Bylo in the process of painting the portraits, and of krow staff reviewing their paintings before they go public.
