During his life, Tom faced relentless adversity and censorship. Together with Durk Dehner, he co-founded the Tom of Finland foundation to preserve his art and legacy, as well as ensure that living, emerging artists who faced those same battles he did would have a platform and international visibility.
I proudly made a sculpture of Durk in 2023, which he posed for.
Durk has since resigned following recent controversy. With all the problems in the world, his fetishes should not be used as a means to punish and abandon the living artists and community who carry Tom’s spirit, as well as a diminish the work Durk put into the ToFF.
Special thanks to Durk and Richard Villani for everything you did to support us emerging artists through exhibitions, festivals, and advocacy. If it were not for them, my work would not have been seen internationally. I am censored non-stop on social media and the male nude is unfortunately still seen as taboo in the greater art world.
I hope the main mission to preserve his legacy and extended mission of being a safe haven for censored and underground artists can still be fulfilled with the current board of the ToFF.
I would hate for the Tom community of emerging artists and supporters to be deserted, we are part of Tom’s legacy... that would be the opposite of everything Tom stood for.
Right now I do not see the missions of the ToFF being fulfilled. It feels like the community at large have been discarded for the fashion world and the bluechip art world.
Right now the artist residency has been ended, staff have been let go and the TOM house is also at risk, Durk lives there and it needs support.
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