Date/Time
Date(s) - 6th Mar 2020 - 27th Jun 2020
All Day

Location
House of Illustration

Categories

• Exhibitions - TOM

House of Illustration’s current site at King’s Cross, which has been closed since March due to the pandemic, will not reopen however; since its launch in 2014, it has hosted shows dedicated to artists such as Posy Simmonds and Tom of Finland.

“Very sadly, we will not be able to reopen House of Illustration at 2 Granary Square and it’s heartbreaking that Love and Liberation was only open for 10 days, particularly as we had such an amazing response from people in that short time.” -Olivia Ahmad, curator, House of Illustration, 27th July 2020

Talking Tom of Finland: A Live Birthday Q&A with Durk Dehner FIND WHERE TO REGISTER

We’ve had such an amazing response to Tom’s work the past 10 days or so – it’s so moving to see what it means to people, and we’re immensely proud to have it here and of our collaboration.

Cases of coronavirus are increasing here in London, and while there isn’t widespread panic, the government is issuing regular advice to try to prevent the spread of infection.  Today they instructed the public to limit going to social and cultural spaces, and so along with most other public arts spaces here in the city, we have made the difficult decision to close to the public until government advice changes.  We plan to reopen as soon as we can, but we don’t know if we’re talking about days or weeks at the moment.

We know there are lots of people waiting to see Tom’s work, but we have faith that we will be able to reopen soon. -Olivia Ahmad, curator, House of Illustration, 16th March 2020

TOM OF FINLAND, Untitled ((From Sex on the Train), 1974, Pen and ink on paper, 10.75” x 7.88”, Tom of Finland Foundation Permanent Collection ©1974-2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

The UK’s first public exhibition dedicated solely to gay cultural icon Tom of Finland (born Touko Laaksonen) on the centenary of his birth.

This timely exhibition celebrates the artist whose unique aesthetic and homoerotic visions had a profound impact on the likes of Queen and the Village People – despite living and working in a country where both homosexuality and pornography were illegal.

It features iconic, previously unseen drawings from Tom of Finland Foundation’s collection – unabashed tributes to gay sexuality and identity which continue to have an outsize influence today.

On view through 27th June for Pride in London.

PHOTOS BY PAUL GROVER

While you can’t visit the physical exhibition, you can take a virtual private view. SEE HOW TO REGISTER