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Finnish Institute seeks partners for 2020 Tom Of Finland exhibitions

By John Freeman on December 4, 2019

2020 celebrates the 100th birthday of the graphic artist Touko Laaksonen, better known as Tom Of Finland, who had a great impact on popular culture, for instance fashion, photography and music. The Finnish Institute are now looking for artistic and societal projects in the UK that deal with the legacy of his work.

The proposal/applicant must have a clear link to Finland but are to be realised during 2020 in Britain or Ireland.

Art from “Camping” by Tom of Finland

The Finnish Institute will support selected projects up to maximum 10,000€. Existing bilateral partnerships and projects that can be realised in several locations will be considered a plus.

From the 1940s on, Tom pushed the boundaries of gay erotic art, creating a style of comics that inspired a generation of gay men to celebrate their sexuality.

“My aim is not to create an ideal but to draw beautiful men who love each other and are proud of it,” Tom, who died in 1991, noted in his book, Tom of Finland: His Life and Times.

“In those days, a gay man was made to feel nothing but shame about his feelings and his sexuality. I wanted my drawings to counteract that, to show gay men being happy and positive about who they were. Oh, I didn’t sit down to think this all out carefully. But I knew – right from the start – that my men were going to be proud and happy men!”

This year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival hosted an exhibition of work by Tom of Finland in partnership with the Kendal-based Cross Lane Projects, the Tom of Finland Foundation and the Finnish Institute, which was very well received.

• There’s more information at www.fininst.uk/events/open-call-2020

• Tom of Finland Foundation: www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org | The Finnish Institute: www.fininst.uk

• Tom of Finland books on AmazonUK

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.