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6 October 2022 10:22 PM

Tom of Finland Foundation brings Art and Culture Festival to London

The Tom of Finland Foundation aims to protect, preserve, and promote the erotic arts.

By Emily Maskell

A drawing by Tom of Finland printed in Physique Pictorial Vol 12 No 1
A drawing by Tom of Finland printed in Physique Pictorial Vol 12 No 1, published July 1962. Part of the series "Tattooed Sailor and the Hoods". (Image: Wiki Commons)

The Tom of Finland Foundation (ToFF) is bringing its annual Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival to London for the first time ever and it will be open to the public. 

The event will showcase work from artists, galleries, and patrons from all over the world at Second Home in Spitalfields (running alongside its original Hollywood, LA event) on the 8 and 9 October.

Tom of Finland arts and culture festival poster
Tom of Finland (Tom of Finland Foundation)

The yearly programming effort from ToFF – a non-profit in memory of the titular, famed artist –  is part of a wider initiative to help protect, preserve, and promote the erotic arts while allowing artists a social setting to network and buy and sell work.

Tom of Finland is the artist name of Finnish Touko Laaksonen who rose to prominence for his stylized and highly masculinized homoerotic art, leaving his mark on late 20th-century gay culture.

Durk Dehner, ToFF’s co-founder, noted that this year is even bigger than the last one: “Having artwork in your own private space brings us great joy. And what better surroundings to find work that speaks to you?”

“Our Festival is uninhibited and comfortable – like our very natures,” Dehner continued. “Collecting art is the ultimate ‘thank you’ to artists and the most genuine way of expressing yourself to friends.”

james davison artwork for Tom of Finland - torn image over naked body
Tom of Finland (James Davidson)

Installations, performances, and presentations from erotic artists, vendors, performers, DJs, and galleries will be taking place at Spitalfields’ Second Home as well as ToFF’s annual awards where activist, “living sculpture” and designer Daniel Lismore will be the latest inductee into the Artist Hall of Fame.

The Spitalfields event includes a VR experience of TOM House, and specially-created murals (from James Davison, Pol Anglada, and London Performance Studio).

Additionally, and plenty of attending artists (Stuart Sanford, Franko B, Paweł Żukowski, and Rick Castro) plus an in-conversation with Jonathan Anderson of JW Anderson and Loewe. 

Even barbers and tattoo artists will be in attendance if you fancy a trim or some fresh ink.

Tickets and more information about the Tom of Finland events are available here.