e-news #141 september 27, 2012

TOM  OF  FINLAND  FOUNDATION

Tips of the Hat and Odds & Ends:

A big thanks to Folsom volunteers and organizers. We had an incredible weekend in San Francisco at the 2012 Folsom Street Fair, and we owe an extra big thanks to our two volunteers; Angel Armesto from Austin, Texas; and Erik Tweed of The Magazine who spent their entire day reaching out to the public and educating the uninitiated about Tom of Finland and the vital social and historic importance of protecting, preserving and promoting erotic art. Thanks to the grant from the fine folks at the Folsom Street Events for their funds that covered the price of our space, a beautiful new pop-up tent, as well as some gas to get there. We would also be remiss for neglecting to mention the donation from Thorn at Instigator magazine or Pete of Finland for dropping by to say “Hi”. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year! See Photos on TOM's Blog

The Foundation thanks WEHONEWS for getting the word out about our Art Fair in their Arts & Entertainment Section. WEHONEWS is West Hollywoods #1 news source since 2005.

Artist Patrick Staff HAD to visit TOM House. Patrick Staff and Ed Webb-Ingall made it a point come by TOM House when they were here. Both live in London. Patrick was at an artist retreat in Canada, and had a show here in Los Angeles. His friend, Ed, said “I am always proud of what Patrick does”. Patrick Staff Website

Artists in Print
A’art de la Bande Dessinée

TOM is in a new book on the art of comics. Through his drawings, TOM created and popularized Gay fantasy archetypes.

Since the 1960s, his art has revolutionized Gay imagery with strong men, dressed not as “sissies”, but in the uniforms of men. His work has contributed to the self-confidence of the Homosexual, but it also sparked international controversy because of its sexual content.

Tom of Finland and Ralf König are presented as the two most important designers dealing with Homosexuality.

Read more on the link in the Cité Internationale of Comics and Image.

A’art de la Bande Dessinée under the direction of Pascal Ory, Martin Lawrence Venayre Sylvain and Jean-Pierre Mercier Groensteen Thierry, Xavier’s pray and Benoit Peeters.

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TOM dans le tout nouveau livre sur L’art de la Bande Dessinée

Par ses dessins , Tom a créé et popularisé les plus grands archétypes actuels des fantasmes sado-masochistes gays.

Depuis les années 1960, son art a révolutionné l’imagerie gay avec des hommes costauds, vêtus non pas comme des “princesses”, mais avec les uniformes les plus virils. Son travail a contribué à la fiérté homosexuelle. Mais il a aussi suscité une controverse internationale en raison de son contenu à caractère sexuel.

Tom of Finland et Ralf König sont présentés comme les deux dessinateurs les plus importants traitant de l’homosexualité.

En lire plus sur le lien de la Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image.

L’art de la Bande Dessinée sous la direction de Pascal Ory, Laurent Martin Sylvain Venayre et Jean-Pierre Mercier avec Thierry Groensteen, Xavier La pray, et Benoit Peeters.

Martin Gross
Male photography that was greatly inspired by the work of TOM

Photo: MARTIN GROSS	Martin

I was born in 1967 and grew up in Karlovy Vary, a relatively small town in socialist Czechoslovakia where being Gay was no longer criminal, but it was very, very inappropriate and embarrassing and everybody was in the closet. No chance to talk to anybody about this. For a long time I seriously thought that I was the only Gay in town (50k inhabitants). Then I accidentally discovered that the only chance to meet other Gays was cruising or waiting at public toilets for someone. But they did not talk, they were not friendly, they just wanted to have sex quickly and leave. All the beautiful men during this time were probably home, unhappily married with children. I really thought that this is the life of all Gays and was desperate.

Then November 1989 came, the borders to the West opened and all sorts of information started to flow into the country. That was the moment when Gays started slowly to emancipate and to communicate with each other and a big sexual boom started. Just by chance, the first ever sexually explicit materials that I saw were a few Kake paperbacks and I said to myself, “WOW! Can this be possible?” It was so exciting that I still don’t have words to describe it.

To look at these pictures was pretty much like when I smelled real perfume for the first time. Then I went to Berlin and realised that the pictures by Tom of Finland are not just pure fantasy. Actually, the art of Tom of Finland opened up a whole new world to me and I fell in love with it. When I ended my business career a few years ago and decided to become a photographer, it was just logical that I wanted to pay tribute to my eye-opener and decided to take a series of photographs inspired by Tom of Finland.

Martin Gross Photography Website

ToFF Donates to
GLADD Hancock Park

TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920 – 1991) Perfection, 1990, Limited edition lithograph Numbered and signed, 19.00” x 13.50” © 1990 Tom of Finland Foundation

Tom of Finland Foundation donated a limited edition TOM lithograph to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for their Hancock Park Top Chef Invasion.fundraiser.

GLAAD amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality.

GLADD Website

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