QCA: Tom Of Finland

This week, the Contemporary Urban Centre in Liverpool, England announced a retrospective of the work of Tom of Finland that will feature 88 of his works on paper from 1944 to 1989. Though the show will only run from September 20th to November 20th, Tom of Finland’s iconic drawing of hyper-sexualized men in various forms of sexual engagement have not only influenced gay culture but also sparked conversation and controversy about the social role of pornographic art. But before we go into that, here’s a quick Wikipedia bio for newcomers:
“Tom of Finland (May 8, 1920 – November 7, 1991) born Touko Laaksonen in Kaarina, Finland, was a fetish artist notable for his stylized homoerotic art and his influence on late twentieth century gay culture. Over the course of four decades he produced some 3500 illustrations, mostly featuring men with exaggerated primary and secondary sex traits: heavily muscled torsos, limbs, buttocks and improbably large penises. Tight or partially removed clothing showed off these traits, with penises often visible as distinct bulges in tight trousers or prominently displayed for the viewer. His drawings frequently feature two or more men either immediately preceding or during explicit sexual activity. He was best known for works that focused on homomasculine archetypes such as lumberjacks, motorcycle policemen, sailors, businessmen, bikers, and leathermen.”
Controversy surrounding Tom of Finland’s work and a video about the artist, after the jump!

Art critics disagree whether Tom’s “supermen” simply perpetuates negative gay stereotypes&mdashl gay men objectifying one another in hedonistic orgies that over-running public places, gay men as hyper-obsessed with glorifying an unrealistic idealized physicality devoid of emotion, sex as bordering on sadomasochistic rape. All the criticisms can read like a stodgy academic paper. Perhaps Rob Meyer, owner of a leathershop and art gallery in Amsterdam, got it right when he said “These works are not conversation pieces, they’re masturbation pieces.” His drawings can be appreciated purely as pornography and those searching for deeper meaning can note that even the most sado-masochistic scenes of aggressive sex often have its men displaying tenderness and affection towards one another.
No matter one’s opinions on Tom of Finland as art, no one can deny its influence on gay culture around the world. Many gay bars and shops continue to feature his drawings. He undoubtedly helped revive leather culture and in doing so, forged a fashion aesthetic that has been used to characterize gays in films like Police Academy, the controversial Cruising, as well as in the musical group The Village People. Today, the Tom of Finland Foundation operates not only to preserve his artwork, but to “[educate] the public as to the cultural merits of erotic art… in promoting healthier, more tolerant attitudes about sexuality.”