For the second year, the Tom of Finland Foundation — founded by the late legend of erotic art Tom of Finland, real name Touko Laaksonen, and his friend Durk Dehner in 1984 — is bringing its annual arts and culture festival to London.
With the sole intention of championing the joy of queer erotic art and artists, it is set to bring together artists to exhibit and sell their work, alongside a series of talks which will run Saturday July 22 — Sunday July 23. Oh, and they’ll be a blow-out opening fetish party at Electrowerkz on Friday night, naturally.
Expect plenty of Tom of Finland’s signature leather strapped, swollen men, plus some food for thought. Here, Dehner explains everything you need to know ahead of the weekend...
Prepare to meet top erotic artists and buy their work at the festival
“This year’s festival showcases artists including Martin Perry, Rick Castor, James Dearlove, Felipe Chavez and Ed Firth. When you come to festivals, let your guard down and experience things, you can discover the beauty of life. The collecting of art is the most rewarding hobby I’ve ever experienced.”
It is crucial as ever to celebrate queer artists
“We’re not in the most enlightened times. It’s important for us to go and touch as many bases as possible and extend our locations, which also includes LA and Berlin. We can’t allow the fringes of society to suppress the expression of our children, it’s ridiculous. We have to defend them, they are the innocents.”
It will be hosted at The Standard Hotel
“There’s something about Kings Cross — a fluidity that happens there in summer when people are hanging out by the canal and laying on the grass. Head from there to The Standard Hotel, which is a real gathering place.”
There are a series of art and erotica talks to attend
“I am hosting a talk with Drew Hunter on leather and fetish. We’re both of a mature age and have had a life in the community. Maybe people out there who would like to get a viewpoint on what that has been about, and hopefully we can add some depth to that conversation. There are also discussions on porn, moderated by Richard Villani, and writing queer sex with with Jeremy Atherton Lin and Lauren John Joseph.”
Bring along someone older to enjoy it with
“I met Tom when I was 28 and he was 59 — I’d drag him to bars and dancehalls when he was in his 60s, and he said to me close to the end of his life that he just wanted to thank me. You’d be surprised at how much value you can add to older people’s lives — you invigorate. I would invite people to bring along somebody who is older, who’s not getting out, and let them enjoy the day too. And build relationships that are intergenerational, because the richness on both sides is profound.”
The takeaway message: erotic art represents freedom
“Tom felt that every individual should be able to choose whoever they wanted to love, and that society should embrace that. He really spoke about it from the grounds of freedom, and how erotic art represents freedom. We hope to carry his ethos forth — the festival should feel like freedom.”
