It’s our history | 1978 | The U.S. greets Tom of Finland

19th March 2022, 10:59 am

“Tom of Finland Speaks” by Bob Opel
A Drummer exclusive interview, May 1978

EXCERPTS

Opel: Do you feel sexual about your work?
Tom: Yes, otherwise, it wouldn’t work. If I do a commission about a situation that really doesn’t excite me, I notice that the work is bad. From the be-ginning I drew from my fantasy world because the real world didn’t provide me with what I needed in the way of sexual stimulation. Even today when all things seem possible, when I draw I record my fantasies. When I first started to draw I felt embarrassed because I thought, well everyone can see through my drawings and know exactly what’s going on in my head. But I’ve gotten over that and I draw exactly what I want to and I draw those situations that excite me.

Opel: Do you live in Finland now?
Tom: Yes, this is my first trip to America.

Opel: But your work isn’t seen in Finland?
Tom: No, pornography is illegal and the images I create are considered to be pornographic.

Opel: Could you be prosecuted in your own country if you became visible as an artist there?
Tom: Yes, so I am known by very few people as an artist.

Photos by Efren Ramirez

Opel: I’ve jacked off many times to your images, and I know a lot of other people who have come all over them; you’ve given a lot of people some intense orgasms, which may be the very best thing you can do for someone.
Tom: I try.

Opel: There is a certain sense of exaggeration in your work. Do you really know many men who look like those you draw?
Tom: No, many people have told me not to exaggerate so much and I have tried to go back to drawing more normal figures but I noticed when I tried to do this there was no reason to draw. Today the photography is so good and the bodies of the models are so fine, I don’t find a reason to duplicate that or compete with that. I deal with fantasies, directing attention to certain areas of the body; but sometimes I feel that I exaggerate too much.

Opel: You draw great asses.
Tom: I love asses, and so I do them very well.

Opel: Does it excite you to come here and have a show of your work and meet people who are turned on by your images?
Tom: Very much, it is very important to me to know that people are excited by my work.