Work of gay art icon Tom of Finland showcased in Turku

Retrospective is major attraction of European Cultural Capital

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By Veikko Halmetoja
     
      Meetings between homosexual men took place in secret for most of the 20th century.
      Anonymous sex and the label of effeminacy were not good construction material for a gay identity.
      In addition, drawing attention to that identity could lead to discrimination, interrogations, or execution.
      At present the identity gap in Western countries has been filled by image shopping in popular culture.
      One of the most important trailblazers in this revolution was Touko Laaksonen (1920-1991). He is known around the world as Tom of Finland.
     
Laaksonen drew erotic pictures and pictorial narratives from the post-war period until his death.
      He created the iconic image of a proud and happy gay man with superior physical characteristics, and a consciousness of this.
      He built the foundation of the great narrative of gay culture, which others have been able to build on.
      The Tom of Finland exhibition, which is part of the programme of Turku’s year as European Capital of Culture, does not take much space in the big Logomo culture centre.
      Nevertheless, plenty of the small drawings fit into the small room.
     
The exhibition, which is advertised as a retrospective, fulfils its promise, and it shows off works ranging from childhood drawings of cops and robbers, to portraits made by Laaksonen in his final years.
      On display is an artist whose significance is more about cultural history than art history.
      Laaksonen was an illustrator, and not a draughtsman. The importance of his work cannot be overemphasised, but praising them as drawings is like claiming to buy porn mags for the articles.
      For instance, Jean Cocteau, who depicted sex between men, and the brazen beauty of young men, is much more skilful and more interesting.
      Nevertheless his works lack the iconic significance that Laaksonen’s figures achieved.
     
The reason is obvious. Laaksonen’s works are easy to observe and to experience.
      The style of drawing, which is reminiscent of advertising, is not challenging. Consequently, it is easy to identify with his subjects, or to be provoked by them. The drawings of Cocteau, who depicted similar acts, carry the distant label of modernist visual art.
      Laaksonen’s drawings that were left at the preliminary sketch phase indicate that he was capable of dynamic drawing. However, when he finalised his work, he would often kill a line in order to create a picture. Such criticism seems meaningless when his works are observed as part of the transformation of Western culture.
     
Laaksonen gave gay men a sexual identity. He created a powerful subculture, and he continues to serve as an example for many artists.
      His drawings depict the archetype of a brazenly gay man.
      Its significance is obvious for the artistic image of Queen front-man Freddie Mercury and for the fashion creations of Jean Paul Gaultier.
      The fetishist worship of the penis, for its part, influenced photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
     
Alongside all of this, Laaksonen managed to immortalise one of the great stories of the latter part of the last century.
      The retrospective makes it possible to follow how sexual liberation came to an end, when AIDS kills a friend or partner of everyone.
      Finally the condom makes its appearance in Laaksonen’s drawings.
      It is in this way that Tom of Finland appears as part of the gay canon of American culture.
      He has his place alongside Michael Cunningham, Armistead Maupin, Tony Kushner, and Nan Gold as an illustrator of the AIDS epidemic.
     
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 23.1.2011
     
     
The Tom of Finland retrospective is on display at Logomo, Köydenpunojankatu 14, Turku, through December 18th. Daily opening hours are from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Turku - European Capital of Culture 2011 is set to start celebrations on January 15th (4.1.2011)

Links:
  Turku European Capital of Culture 2011 Programme: Tom of Finland
  Turku European Capital of Culture website: Heated discussion on Tom of Finland Retrospective!

Helsingin Sanomat