Including Flipping pages – Tom of Finland: The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero with Durk Dehner, Tom of Finland Foundation; and F. Valentine Hooven III, author.
The exhibition features a selection of historical works covering the artist’s entire professional career, and highlighting both his artistic versatility and presenting his identity as an LGBTQ legend.
Goh Mishima, Gengoroh Tagame, and Jiraiya. All three artists have spoken openly in the past about drawing inspiration from Tom of Finland’s imagery and political activist works.
“Equality, human rights, tolerance, respect, and freedom. Tom of Finland’s work is packed with values that are important to Finland and that we want to convey to the world.” Marx Kokko, Counselor for Press and Culture at Embassy of Finland in Japan.
After a fruitless two-year search for a venue, Shai Ohayon was on the verge of abandoning his dream of bringing the art of Tom of Finland to a Japanese audience. Not a single gallery, museum or public space in Tokyo shared his enthusiasm for the artist.
Delving into a world of fantasy, with sexual freedom, Tom depicted a new “gay masculinity”, adding to the vocabulary of what gay men were allowed to be by society.
Tom of Finland rose to fame as one of the most significant erotic artists of the last century. He created almost 3,500 illustrations during his 40-year career, and his drawings of masculine men became staples of gay culture.
