Touko Laaksonen. The man behind Tom of Finland: Ecce Homo - The Preliminary Drawings

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Distinctive faces with moustaches, sculpted bodies in leather boots and over-dimensional penises stand out in the explicit illustrations of gay sex that have become known throughout the world under the pseudonym Tom of Finland. And yet, although his works are now famous as lusty prototypes of homosexual self-awareness, Touko Laaksonen (1920–1991), the man and artist behind the catchy pseudonym, still remains largely unknown. A joint exhibition by Salon Dahlmann and Galerie Judin aims to change this by focusing on Laaksonen’s life and his development as an artist. As such, the ‘Loves and Lives’ exhibition at Salon Dahlmann will be presenting letters, photographs and late works from private collections to show how the talented commercial artist became an internationally successful brand emanating political character.
The ‘Ecce Homo’ exhibition at Galerie Judin by comparison is dedicated to Laaksonen’s development in terms of his style and motifs. Numerous studies from Laaksonen’s estate in the free and powerful style characteristic for the artist provide an insight into the intense manner in which he created his visual work, and at different working periods.

The opening reception takes place at Salon Dahlmann.