JEWELER JONATHAN JOHNSON AND TOM OF FINLAND FOUNDATION LAUNCH FLYING COCKS COLLECTION HONORING ARTIST’S LEGACY

Terry Miller by Josh Paul Thomas at TOM House

Today, respects are properly paid to forever-relevant “artivist” of homo-eroticism Tom of Finland with the launch of a nine-piece line of accessories by European fine jeweler Jonathan Johnson. Visionary goldsmith Oliver Pfeiffer (a.k.a. Jonathan Johnson) designed brooch pendants, rings, shoelace links and belt buckles in the image of Tom of Finland’s phallocentric and controversial body of work, including the iconic leather daddy character Kake.

Terry Miller by Josh Paul Thomas at TOM House

The collection resulted from a game-changing collaboration with non-profit Tom of Finland Foundation, the establishment that was one of the late artist’s final crowning achievements. Each piece was created by artisans at Johnson’s studio in Hamburg, Germany, and for the pièce de résistance (surprisingly not a cock ring): a flesh pink plastic Flying Cock necklace dangling from a metal chain.

Finland-born Touko Laaksonen was exalted by many in the gay community, burdened in the 1950s and ’60s with the negative stigma of being “effeminate,” as the father of decriminalizing gay nudity and porn. Currently, a continuation and advocacy of homosexual freedom shines through individual pieces Jonathan Johnson has created for the Tom of Finland store, such as a gold and silver plated chain necklaces with labels like “Cocksucker,” and the complimentary, “I Like Your Dick.”

Grab the goods at Tom of Finland Store or at Artspace

Published: 15th November 2017

Categorised in: Art Offering, Friends of Tom