“AllTogether” | Heather Benjamin, Rick Castro, A.J. Epstein and Dave Pibel

AllTogether features artists from the Tom of Finland Foundation collections.

HEATHER BENJAMIN (B. 1989, American)
Heather Benjamin received her B.F.A. in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design. Benjamin makes figurative works that revolve around a mystical feminine protagonist, who simultaneously serves as an avatar for her personal experiences of the traumas of womanhood and a manifestation of power, resilience, and self-embodiment. Benjamin participated in the group exhibition Heaven and Hell at Tom of Finland Foundation, Los Angeles, CA (2020), curated by Seth Bogart and Jess Scott. Benjamin lives and works in New York, NY.

AllTogether Pride Capsule

“I find it incredibly inspiring and invigorating the way the Foundation in its current form is able to carry on Tom’s work and visibility in so many ways, from just keeping his important and groundbreaking work in the public eye to finding active ways to keep his work engaged with the art community through the residency program and the amazing events they put on, and so much more.” – HB

RICK CASTRO (B. 1958, American)
Rick Castro is an artist working in photography, writing, and filmmaking whose work focuses on fetish and BDSM. Castro began his early career working as a fashion stylist and costume designer. Castro first became a freelance photographer in 1988, with his work appearing in Drummer magazine and The Advocate. His photographs are characterized by rich and visceral tableaux tinged with S&M, leather, and sexual pleasure. Castro has hosted his weekly Wednesday Tea Salon and monthly book club at TOM House. In 2015, Castro was inducted into the Tom of Finland Foundation Artist Hall of Fame. Castro lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.

“Together they’ve created an erotic oasis that makes everything else in the world seem mundane. TOM House is one of the most unique places on earth.”– RC

A.J. EPSTEIN (B. 1949, American)
Since the late 1960s, photographer and artist Andrew J. (A.J.) Epstein has documented LGBTQ+ communities and events in Chicago, IL; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA; and Los Angeles, CA. Also working under the name Art Daddy, his work has been shown at institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA; and numerous galleries around the U.S.A. Epstein is a Tom of Finland Foundation Honorary Board Member.

DAVE PIBEL (B. 1934, American)
Before undertaking a primary career as a teacher, librarian, and archivist, Dave Pibel was part of the U.S. Marine Corps (1953-1956) and U.S. Peace Corps (Nigeria, 1963-1965). Pibel has been exploring two-dimensional and three-dimensional wood relief carvings since 1966 and started carving gay erotica circa 1992. Many vignettes emphasize gays in various situations, mainly in an effort at humor. For nine consecutive years, he participated in the Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival. Pibel has been surviving HIV since 1981.

“My erotic carvings originally were just shared with friends. If there had been no Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festivals, none of my carvings would ever have been seen by a wider audience. I was able to share my work with a public for nine years until I moved to Savannah and remained isolated for some time. I have produces over fifty vignettes, hopefully with humor and an occasional statement that a very limited audience would have been aware of without this great venue.”–DP

Discover more AllTogether artists

The exhibition tells the individual stories of the artists. At the same time, the exhibition locates parallels, interactions, and influences between Tom of Finland Foundation, Tom’s aesthetic impact, and the community of artists that have formed throughout the years around them…View

Published: 27th May 2022

Categorised in: Art Offering, Events