Touko Laaksonen
I think that many gay men have, one way or another, been tantalized, surprised or turned on by Tom of Finland's hyper-sexualized drawings at one time or another. Those two color pics above these lines are actually photos of two of the Tom of Finland books that I happen to have. Yeah, they're laying around in my house, because of course they are. It's not a secret that I like them brawny and horny. Tom of Finland is quite the staple in many a gay household or business and it's been part of gay men's fantasies ever since Touko Laaksonen started drawing his fantastic men.
Today, I don't think I am going to do a synopsis of who Tom of Finland is and what he's done to bring erotica to the level of pop art. Or about his origins or about why his drawings are so embedded in gay culture. There's enough monographs and articles and documentaries on that. I'm going to celebrate Tom's 100th birthday by just posting his work. Because an image is worth a thousand words...
Want some cake?
XOXO
P.S.
There's a Tom of Finland movie that can be streamed an of course, there's Tom of Finland's porn.
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Such artistry. He brings the hyper sexualized macho male to life. Who among us haven’t ogled his art work and thought at one time, yep he gets it. Great curated post babe.
ReplyDeleteXOXO 👨❤️💋👨
He had a great eye. Many of his drawings are in museums. He also used to draw them very, very hot.
DeleteXOXO
So iconic ...and hot!
ReplyDeletexoxo
I know, right?
DeleteI want the Kake series....
XOXO
:-( only the first two showed up for me. But, I agree that Tom is iconic when it comes to gay erotica. Lots of artists imitate his work, but there is only one Tom of Finland. xoxo
ReplyDeleteOh no!
DeleteBlogger has been temperamental like that. And many have imitated Tom's style. Many. But you can tell when it's him drawing, of course....
XOXO
It was my first gay porn. So sensual.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that's the key: it's sensual. It goes straight to whatever part of the brain that says 'sex' and it flips a switch.
DeleteXOXO
You known I love Tom's Work. I have three coffee table books to enjoy. Dan Savages husband, Terry Miller is a huge spokesmodel for tom of Finland and it's events. Rightful so. He is my daddy Instagram crush!!!!! And he's very talkative on their too. I can't say enough about Tom's work. But you can figure it out.
ReplyDeleteSame! And I have always coveted that Taschen volume that's like a foot tall and has all the super-sized drawings!
DeleteAnd I did know about Terry's being a spokesperson for Tom. Dan has retweeted some of the promotional photos. Hot damn! They're a hot couple, BTW.
And of course I imagined you liked Tom. Match made in heaven.
XOXO
I liked the fantasies that the pictures would create in my mind, plus also some of my own fantasies being drawn out by someone else. My only dislike was the exaggeration of the equipment sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI think that's what's great about his drawings: we make them ours. I think his coming of age in such a restrictive environment for gay men fueled that need. And you know that he was drawing hypersexualized men: the phallus was front and center.
DeleteXOXO
Happy Birthday, Tom! He certainly put Finland on the map.
ReplyDeleteOh, he did!
DeleteHe's actually in the front page of the country's website this month. Who knew that smut would put you in such position?
XOXO
It's cool that Tom and his work are still living on to this day. Happy 100th, dude. Reminds me that I need to make my way over to Finland someday. Enjoy your weekend, sixpence.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. There's Tom posters in many gay bars and clubs and his drawings are always ever present in every Pride celebration.
DeleteFinland should be pretty! So isolated! The weather is radical, though. At least that's what I've read.
Hope your weekend was good, too!
XOXO
Entre mi biblioteca hay un grueso tomo con una retrospectiva de Tom repasando sus etapas y su obra. Es verdad que es un referente y no sólo en esto de la cultura gay y los iconos sexuales. Estas imágenes suyas que dan la vuelta al mundo y que mucha gente -sea o no gay- conoce siempre han sido para mi un paradigma de la libertad, la visibilidad ¡y de la alegrÃa de vivir!, jaja, por qué no. No sabÃa que era su cumple, asà que ¡felicidades Tom!, y feliz fin de semana para ti.
ReplyDeleteUn abracete.
Angelito! Que bueno leerte!
DeleteY claro que el arte de Tom ha transcendido. Si hasta en museos y galerÃas de arte se le ve. Me imagino que uno solo de los dibujos orignales a lápiz debe costar una fortuna. Y si, es lo que evoca: libertad, visibilidad de algo que durante mucha parte de su vida se consideraba sucio y prohibido.
Un abrazo grande.
XOXO
I don't he ever thought he was going to be an icon, he just drew what he liked.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that's what makes his art so accessible: we connect to it because it's something we like, too.
DeleteI find his drawings very raw, very real, in all their artificiality.
XOXO