eNews #249
8th October 2020
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Working with live models provides unique challenges and opportunities unlike any other, giving each Session its own kind of excitement. |
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Through 29th November - Sweden
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This is Tom’s portrait of his partner Veli in 1965. A rare, soft vintage silver gelatin print made by the artist himself in his home studio in Helsinki.
The photographs Tom took of his friends and partners are now exhibited for the first time at Fotografiska.
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Through 30th November - Japan
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Goh Mishima, Gengoroh Tagame, and Jiraiya -- all three artists have spoken openly about drawing inspiration from Tom of Finland’s imagery and political activist works, and also represent two generations of homoerotic artists in Japan. |
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Through 19th December - Germany
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For Tom of Finland’s centennial, Galerie Judin is devoting a museal exhibition with more than 60 loans — many of them on view for the very-first time — and a comprehensive exhibition catalogue (published by Skira in winter 2020) to these formative German years. |
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Rachel Mason’s documentary Circus of Books, executive produced by Ryan Murphy, is streaming on Netflix. In 1988, Tom of Finland had the signing for his first fine art book at Circus of Books, a bookstore with one of the largest distributions of adult content at the time.
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In celebration of the artist Tom of Finland’s 100 birth year and the Foundation’s 36th year in operation, Tom of Finland Foundation presents the 10th Tom of Finland Emerging Artist Competition and is proud to announce the eight judges. |
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Nanshoku, a term used in Japan to for male-to-male sexual relationships in the pre-modern era, became less and less encouraged and acceptable with the westernization process of Japan during the twentieth century, and rendered even hostile and illegal, as western ideas became more prevalent.
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We will be drawing from live models in a variety of classical poses and graphic depictions of homo eroticism and nudity.
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The organizers of this latest Tom of Finland exhibition, one of several events taking place internationally this year to commemorate the centennial of the artist’s birth #TOMs100 — including the publication of Tom's official biography — are hoping that it might help stimulate discussion about the lives and rights of gay and other marginalized people in Japan.
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Exploring and dismantling the representations of maleness and gender-assigned attributes in mainstream media, Tom turned these reference pages towards the exact opposite of their origin. Depicting oversized phalluses and muscles, his drawings challenged the existing symbolic order of heterosexuality, at the same time creating a fearless portrait of homosexual desires. |
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“Tom and Valentine certainly had a great rapport. With both of them having so much trust in each other, and that there is so much in The Official Life and Work of a Gay Hero that is in Tom’s own words, this work truly has a personal, autobiographical feel to it. I am so pleased that we are able to release this special 2020 edition for the anniversary of Tom’s birth,” says Durk Dehner. “I know Tom would be pleased, too!”
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But regardless of its commercial appeal, the Tom of Finland aesthetic holds a significance that dwarfs even the most celebrated iconographies of contemporary art. In his unabashed celebration of gay sex at its most hardcore, Tom empowered generations of men by creating a visual language which validated underground practices into a sensuous realm of aspiration. |
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Ralph Burneau spent the weekend co-hosting with Marc Ransdell Bellenger.
“Roaming around the house and grounds this weekend was amazing.”
Thank you Ralph!
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Today on Patreon: World of TOM
Our first TOM House Tour with Durk on the front porch!
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting TOM House, then you know that Durk’s House Tours are an iconic part of the experience. He guides visitors from room to room, sharing the many stories that each room holds.
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You can contribute to TOM's Foundation
when purchasing without any cost to you!
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Events and posts on our website with this icon offer galleries, podcasts, videos, Zoom talks, and other electronically accessed media.
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ToFF's eNews keeps you updated on the latest Tom of Finland Foundation news. Find out what's happening around TOM's Foundation.
Tom of Finland Foundation
Post Office Box 26658, Los Angeles, California 90026 USA
Links from this newsletter may direct you to adult content.
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