Did you know? Tom's favorite character, Kake, was created to show that masculinity isn't defined by sexual roles. Whether giving or receiving pleasure, Kake remained confident, powerful, and unmistakably masculine.
Tom of Finland Foundation
@tomoffinland.org
linktr.ee/tomoffinlandfoundation
In 1957, a laughing lumberjack appeared on the cover of "Physique Pictorial" and introduced the world to Tom of Finland.
Tom's influence spread around the world. England's Teddy Boys embraced the style, and it later became part of America's unofficial biker uniform. It also appeared on screen and in photographs, worn by icons like Marlon Brando in "The Wild One" (1954) and Elvis Presley.
Life Drawing returns to TOM House for an afternoon celebrating male beauty and the human form. Featuring Charles Ryan McCrory and hosted by Rex Kung, artists of all experience levels are invited to draw from the live figure in Tom of Finland’s historic home. 🎟️: buff.ly/dfHZyZE
Tom grew up surrounded by Finland's rugged countryside. The farmers and loggers who worked the forests embodied a quiet strength that stayed with him for life.
Get your hands dirty with Rubén Esparza. Cut, paste, and create something worth showing off. GET TICKETS: www.tomoffinland.org/eventscal/co...
Tom’s world stretches far beyond the page. We invite you to the opening reception of "Tom’s Stretch" at David Kordansky Gallery on Friday 10th July, 6–8p. 📍 David Kordansky Gallery (5130 West Edgewood Place Los Angeles, CA 90019) ➡️: buff.ly/ymL2FrV
Join us for an afternoon of creativity at TOM House. Featuring model David Pereira Oliveira and hosted by Rex Kung, our next Life Drawing Session takes place Sunday 12th July, noon–2:45p, with the option to attend in person at TOM House or virtually via Zoom. Sign up: buff.ly/knqgunC
TOM drew men who smiled, who worked, who rode bikes, who loved each other openly as life itself, portraying Queer existence without apology.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. Our Foundation would like to take this opportunity to highlight Ryan Davis, one of our Artists-in-Residence.
Show your Pride 🌈 Tom of Finland’s work reflects Queer life in powerful and enduring ways, shaping how many of us see ourselves and each other. How has his work impacted your life? Share in the comments.
While Tom of Finland’s hypermasculine style is iconic today, his 1940s homoerotic comics went unpublished for years and were shared only in secret. These panels are from one of those clandestine works, marking his early place in Queer comic history.
What’s often overlooked is the intention behind TOM's work: Every line reflects his proud belief that Queer people deserve to exist openly and without shame.
Collage Art-Making Workshops have brought together artists, friends, and community members. Don’t miss this afternoon of creativity and connection, where you’ll create and take home a one of a kind artwork. SIGN UP FOR 14th JUNE: buff.ly/yDEvi0C
Welcome back Artist-In-Residence Konstantinos Menelaou! His latest project, BULLYING (working title), explores belonging, exclusion, and connection within Queer male communities. Want to share your story? Submit to Konstantinos’ documentary film open call. Learn more: buff.ly/WRKYrSx
Gather, create, and continue your Pride celebration at TOM House with a special collage art-making workshop led by Rubén Esparza. Sign up: buff.ly/yDEvi0C
👨🎨Artists and creators have a unique opportunity to sketch inside a historic bastion of Queer culture this weekend. On Sunday, 7th June from Noon to 3p, Tom of Finland Foundation will host its latest Life Drawing Session at the iconic TOM House in Echo Park. READ & REGISTER tinyurl.com/pridedraw
🌈 WeHo Pride 🌈 Come find us at the Tom of Finland Foundation booth all weekend for swag, smiles, and a little leather mischief. Event Dates: 6th-7th June 2026 Street Fair Hours: 12–8p Location: Los Angeles (Santa Monica Blvd between Palm and Hancock) Interested in volunteering? Continue reading ⬇️
Tom of Finland didn’t just draw bodies. He drew Queer people as they deserved to be seen: confident, desired, joyful, and human. Leather wasn’t costume in his work, it was identity, freedom, fantasy, brotherhood, and pride made visible.
This International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, we’re asking our community to help protect Queer art and history.
TOM House is seeking volunteers and interns to support ongoing restoration, maintenance, and collections work. An incredible opportunity to contribute to the care of a historic landmark in Los Angeles. Email us at volunteers@tomoffinland.org.
TOM House isn’t just history on display—it’s a working archive where Queer art is still being preserved, studied, and created. This month, step inside the headquarters of Tom of Finland Foundation on a House Tour and experience the legacy up close. 🏚️: buff.ly/O0rZK1u
From Socrates and Sappho to Oscar Wilde and Elton John, LGBTQ+ individuals have shaped art, culture, music, literature, and history for centuries. ➡️ buff.ly/SlBDXKy
According to Tom of Finland Foundation, these materials formed part of a larger archive through which the artist developed his now-iconic visual language. Cuttings were organized into categories, annotated, sometimes drawn over and reworked. Some photographs he had taken himself.
Tom transformed his attraction into images of confident, self-possessed men, building a visual language of desire, strength, and freedom that continues to resonate today. Celebrate—make art and share using #TomOfFinlandDay Photo by Robert Mapplethorpe Calendar by @peachykingsshop.bsky.social
We’re celebrating TOM’s birthday early and extending the Emerging Artists Competition registration by two weeks—giving artists more time to submit work exploring sexuality, identity, and boundary-pushing expression across photography, painting, sculpture, digital work, and more. 🎨: buff.ly/01fQsxY
The “SEX NOW” exhibition in Düsseldorf wraps on 3rd May 2026. Since September 2025, the exhibition has invited audiences into a bold, creative dialogue about sexuality and society. Today we're spotlighting "KINKY," a space where pleasure, control, and expression collide and are redefined.
Grab your pencils 😈 Our next Life Drawing Session, featuring Omar Farah and hosted by Rex Kung, takes place at Off Sunset Festival on 3rd May from noon–2:45pm. GET TICKETS: buff.ly/Nuih7Yp
“It was happiness, the moment right then.” is a new solo exhibition by Carlos Enfedaque, reflecting on how happiness shows up in passing—shaped by memory, place, and perception across Berlin, Mexico City, and Los Angeles. RSVP to the Artist-in-Residence opening reception: buff.ly/NNJCJNO