This tour is led by Fotografiska Tallinn guide Elo Aun. The curator of the exhibition, Berndt Arell, joins via video call. He has been working with Tom’s artwork for many years.
Tom of Finland Foundation president, Durk Dehner, guides us through the exhibition dedicated to gay cultural icon Tom of Finland on the centenary of his birth.
Following the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, and in accordance with the recommendations of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and WHO, this show is postponed.
"The Community will curate together with the Foundation the first time in history a large-scale exhibition of the collection opening in Paris later in 2020." – The Community
“The work has not yet been subjected to the kind of criticality and scholarship that it merits. It’s so much more than a garnish for West Hollywood coffee tables.” - David Kordansky
"A century after his birth, Tom of Finland's original art also remains provocative and challenging to audiences still catching up with his unabashedly sexual, queer utopian vision." - BBC
Today Tom’s primarily known as a creator of drawings, his principal medium being graphite, and few are aware that he was also an active and multifaceted photographer.
Tom’s love of the comic book format was life-long. This early work from Touko, when he was only eight, shows his natural gift for storytelling and his love of comic strips.
Garry died on 7th April as a result of the damage COVID-19 did to his lungs and body. He was executive director of Being Alive and was a driving force in the Leather community. Our beloved friend Garry also acted as a passionate archivist for Satyrs Motorcycle Club.
Artist Peter J. Silvia was a prime moving force behind taking the Tom of Finland Art Fair to New York in 2001. We were lucky to interview him in 2005 for our quarterly publication.
To celebrate Tom of Finland’s centenary, Bella Gladman interviews Durk Dehner, cofounder of Tom of Finland Foundation and the artist’s muse and advocate. Dehner and Gladman talk Tom of Finland’s life and legacy.
We would like to send a special thanks to BOUND and notably Katie Rex for throwing a lovely party in January. The celebration was in honor of 3 years of BOUND and TOM’s Centennial. We are extremely grateful for Katie’s donation of proceeds from the event.
