Tom of Finland at 100 – Friday 8th May

Untitled, from Sex on the Train, Tom of Finland © 1974-2020 Tom of Finland Foundation
Untitled, from Sex on the Train, Tom of Finland © 1974-2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

Tom of Finland would have turned 100 years old on 8 May 2020.

Join House of Illustration curator Olivia Ahmad at 6 pm in a free 45-minute Zoom conversation with Durk Dehner, Co-Founder and President of the Tom of Finland Foundation in LA, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the legendary gay icon and homoerotic illustrator.

Tom of Finland: Love and Liberation

Ahmad and Dehner, who co-curated the UK’s first ever Tom of Finland solo show of original art, Tom of Finland: Love and Liberation – which sadly had to close its doors just two weeks after opening due to the coronavirus lockdown – will discuss Tom’s artistic versatility, political importance and enduring legacy.

There’ll also be a Q&A at the end with a chance to ask the experts your burning Tom-related questions.

Olivia Ahmad says: “Tom of Finland transformed his original perception of male sexuality and desire into a vital art that spoke to suppressed queer communities around the world and revolutionised the image of gay men in popular culture. Tom rejected the discrimination and conservative conventions of his time to celebrate love, intimacy and pleasure, and it’s no surprise that his message continues to resonate.

She added: “While this event is free, please consider making a donation to House of Illustration at this challenging time to enable us to continue championing and celebrating underrepresented artists like Tom.

Book your free ticket: http://www.houseofillustration.org.uk/whats-on/current-future-events/talking-tom-of-finland-a-live-birthday-qa-with-durk-dehner/

Tom of Finland: Love and Liberation at House of Illustration

On 6 March 2020, House of Illustration opened the UK’s first public solo show dedicated to gay cultural icon and prolific artist Tom of Finland (born Touko Laaksonen), in partnership with Tom of Finland Foundation and the Finnish Institute in London.

Tom of Finland: Love and Liberation displays 40 works on paper produced from the 1960s to the 1980s, both before and after homosexuality was decriminalised in much of Europe and the U.S. It also includes early drawings of men fighting that constituted the only legal way to show physical contact between men before decriminalisation, as well as illustrations from his iconic Kake comics and rare linocuts produced in very limited editions. 

Many of these works, on loan from the Los Angeles-based Tom of Finland Foundation, are being exhibited to the public for the first time.

Untitled, from ‘The Tattooed Sailor’ series, 1962 © Tom of Finland (Image supplied)
Untitled, from the ‘Sailor and the Cyclist’ series, 1963 © Tom of Finland (Image supplied)

MORE INTERESTING INFO:

Tom of Finland is the artist name of Touko Laaksonen (1920, Kaarina – 1991, Helsinki). He signed his erotic work ‘Tom’ when his drawings were first published in 1957 and the now world-renowned ‘Tom of Finland’ was born. An art director at an advertising agency by day, Tom began drawing his homoerotic fantasies by night, first distributing them in U.S. bodybuilding magazines and signing them with the pseudonym ‘Tom’ to avoid censure and arrest. The general public had only to look at a ‘sports’ or ‘health’ magazine to see Tom of Finland’s sensuous hyper-masculine figures, while an underground audience could access his overt erotica via a network of sex shops and leather bars. Tom produced more than 3,500 illustrations during his lifetime that transformed homoerotic art and had far-reaching influence on LGBTQ+ and popular culture. 

Tom of Finland Foundation

The Foundation was established by Tom and his friend Durk Dehner. Now in their 35th year and based in Los Angeles, the Foundation is a non-profit organization that preserves the archive of Tom of Finland and supports contemporary erotic artists. The Foundation’s mission is to champion the cultural importance of erotic art and to promote healthier, more tolerant attitudes towards sexuality. This year they celebrate the centenary of the artist’s birth: #TOMs100.

House of Illustration

This is the UK’s centre for illustration and graphic art. Its exhibition programme explores illustration from around the world, celebrating its rich and varied history and championing emerging talent. House of Illustration doesn’t just show illustration – it’s a place to learn and create, with a pioneering education programme for everyone from 2-year olds to retirees, beginners to professionals, all delivered by practising illustrators. A busy calendar of events includes talks, workshops, fairs and live drawing nights while the House of Illustration shop features exhibition merchandise and unique books, prints, cards and more from independent illustrators and makers.

The Finnish Institute in London promotes Finnish contemporary art in the UK and Ireland and helps artists, researchers and social and cultural actors to create international networks. It was founded in 1991 and is a non-profit, private foundation funded by The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.

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