Propa-Gritty

Freelance designer Wojtek Arciswewski envisions the Philadelphia Flyers mascot as much more than orange fur.
By
December 6, 2018

It’s been two months since our lives changed forever with two fateful words: “It me.”

Whether or not you were a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers, whether or not you even care about hockey, odds are you’ve seen Gritty. And if you’ve seen Gritty, odds are you’ve been confused, frightened or inspired by him. Possibly all three.

(If you haven’t seen Gritty, here’s the elevator pitch: picture a seven-foot orange puppet who appears to be a perfect genetic splicing of Animal and Sweetums, with some Puppy Goo-Goo thrown in there. Now picture him in a hockey uniform with a beautiful, fiery rage in his soul. He loves Fridays, charity, snowstorms and food, and he hates bad Gritty costumes. He may or may not have accidentally become a hero of the working class, of unions and the overall antifascist movement. But if you ask Gritty, he just “me.”)

Canadian freelance graphic designer and comedian Wojtec Arciszewski has capitalized on that interpretation of Gritty and put an artistic flare on it. Last week, Aciszewski began producing and promoting original artwork (sometimes crude, sometimes epic) that placed the furry Philadelphian in at the forefront of various revolutionary wars. So far, Gritty has made appearances in the French revolution, the Chinese Communist Revolution and the Russian Revolution.

Arciszewski is currently based in Halifax and has previously held positions with Young & Rubicam and JWT. He produces his independent projects under the banner of Single Malt Studios.

french gritty soviet gritty

Of course, Gritty is not just a revolutionary in Arciszewski’s eyes; he’s also produced a Christmas-themed Gritty (otherwise known as the immaculate Gritception).

virgin gritty