Tom

@Tom Huntley is developing the next stage of Nude, a deeply personal body of work about male body dysmorphia, that began as a book and has grown into a live presentation.

Earlier this summer, Tom trialled a run of presentations built from the pages of Nude. The work involved reading and screening material that was highly sensitive, and many years in the making. Now he is planning a follow-up version of the presentation, with a clearer sense of how the piece can be shaped for an audience. He is also developing a prototype copy of the book itself.

Sharing the Work

For Tom, the boldest and most MakeHappen-est thing he has done recently was sharing Nude in public.

The presentations in June asked him to bring forward work that still felt very close to the surface. Reading it aloud and screening it for an audience took a great deal of courage. After years of keeping the project to himself, Tom gave people the chance to encounter it properly, in the room, as a live experience.

Finding the Shape

One of the most useful parts of the process has been allowing himself to focus fully on Nude.

Tom had been working on a follow-up project, but stepping away from that for a while has given him more clarity about this piece. The trial presentations helped him see what the work needs, how it might flow, and how the book and slideshow can speak to each other.

Rather than forcing the next thing too quickly, he has been able to stay with Nude long enough to understand it better, and bring it into full fruition.

From Stuck to Moving

A big part of Tom’s recent progress has been getting support at the right moment.

He has spoken honestly about feeling completely stuck - at one point, he was resigned to giving up the project all together. Compounding - breaking the work down into manageable chunks helped him move through it.

That changed the situation. It gave him a way back into action, and helped him get over the finish line.

What Comes Next

In the coming months, Tom is planning a more developed version of the Nude presentation, as well as a prototype of the book whose pages make up the slideshow.

He is also looking at how to fund a run of copies for public purchase. The aim is to give the work a clearer form beyond the live presentation, while continuing to move at a pace that feels healthy and sustainable.

Find Out More

People can follow Tom on Instagram at @voodoosmrf. For music, he works as Lethargic Phoenix on SoundCloud.