User:Misa900/Ryan Larkin

Ryan Larkin (July 31, 1943 – February 14, 2007) was a Canadian animator, artist, and sculptor who rose to fame with the psychedelic Oscar-nominated short Walking (1968) and the acclaimed Street Musique (1972). He was the subject of the Oscar-winning film Ryan.

Born in Durval, a small suburb city in Montreal, the middle child of two siblings, the son of an airplane mechanic father and a secretary mother. Larkin was known for his remarkable understanding and replication of human movement in his work. Avoiding rotoscoping and instead relying on self-study and references to perfect his work. He was also known for his psychedelic and diverse range of animation techniques and mediums, such as charcoal drawing, and Ink and color wash.

Early life[edit]
Larkin had idolized his older brother, Ronald, whom he described as "the epitome of cool". In 1958, at the age of fifteen, Larkin witnessed his brother die in a boating accident and, because he had never learned to swim, was unable to save him. Larkin stated that his brother's death deeply scarred him.

Shortly after Larkins brother's death, in search of new adventures, Larkin and his close friend decided to drop out of school and run from home to hitchhike around Canada, but this adventure was short-lived as they were quickly reported to the police and promptly picked up by Larkins father the following day.

Following this incident, Larkin told his parents about his dislike of traditional high school and was able to convince them to allow him to go to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School with the condition that he would pay the tuition himself. For three summers, Larkin would work odd jobs to pay for tuition.

At the Art School of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Larkin studied under Arthur Lismer (a member of the Group of Seven) and quickly excelled at the school, being considered for a job at the National Film Board early on.

Eventually Larkin started work at the National Film Board of Canada in 1962.

NFB years[edit]
In 1975, the NFB commissioned Larkin to create a mural for the entrance foyer at its Montreal headquarters. Larkin delivered a piece featuring an adolescent boy with an erection, which the NFB removed from viewing. Larkin stated that "the mural was meant to be a satirical commentary on masculinity. At the time there was a year-long festival going on about women's rights. It was supposed to be a comical relief from all their terrible, self-conscious seriousness."

Larkin left the NFB in 1982.

Personal Life
It is speculated that Larkin was Bi-sexual with writer Chris Robinson recalling Larkin saying the following in a conversation "She wanted sex twice a night. I was having sex with my gentleman friend and had only so much to give”. (referring to an old girlfriend Larkin had) . Robinson also brings up the fact that Larkins mentor Norman McLaren was Gay and speculates that Larkin had an attraction to his mentor, but Larkin tended to suppress his sexuality in his early years.