Honoring a Cultural Icon
Tom of Finland is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century’s most influential artists for his groundbreaking representation of the male figure. By day he crafted campaigns of happy heterosexual couples buying soft drinks and laundry detergent for advertising. By night, he was otherwise occupied. Bulging muscles. Throbbing members. Motorcycles. Gay pride.
Any time a stylist puts a young pop star in a leather biker cap for a magazine shoot, the impact of Tom of Finland is not far off. Tom's influence can be seen among designers today, with the iconic sailor and leather clad men on the recycled tote bag.
Touko Laaksonen AKA Tom of Finland
Tom of Finland, the artist and man, was born, raised and lived most of his life in his native Finland, dying there in 1991 at the age of 71. I was in my mid-twenties when Tom and I started corresponding back in 1976 and was ripe and ready to experience the messages he portrayed in his works. Tom quickly became the most important person to influence my life to that date. I discovered through his work that I was as much of a man as any of my Heterosexual counterparts and that sex and love between men could be a heroic bonding experience – not unlike that of Greek and Roman soldiers. Tom’s favorite character, “Kake”, was always just as willing to get his hole plowed as he was to do the plowing and clearly sent the message out that sex between men is just plain manly – no matter what position one takes. By his characters’ actions Tom showed unbridled sexual passion between men and, afterwards, a brotherhood and camaraderie. His drawings also encouraged guys to experiment and push boundaries, to do anything to turn your partner on and get him off.
Tom – along with the physique photographers of the ’50s – have finally been acknowledged as the men responsible for creating the image of the Leatherman that persists to this day. Tom created – and chronicled – this era. His drawings not only rocked the boundaries of the Gay community of the time but also spread into the Straight leather biker clubs of England, Germany and, eventually, the US. Tom’s leatherman image has manifested itself as a style of clothes, build, attitude and lifestyle. In Tom, we have a grandfather of sorts to share with younger generations and if Tom were here today his message would be to stay young at heart. (In fact, Tom continued to frequent the leather and dancing scene well into his sixties). Tom would also tell both men and women that when they are in the heat of sexual arousal and they look at that special guy, his cock looks as big and delicious as any Tom ever drew himself.
-Durk Dehner
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