TOM OF FINLAND FOR THE GIRLS

G. B. JONES, Riot Jones

While most people, especially those in the queer community, are aware of the works of Tom of Finland, you would be hard pressed to find many who would know the work of G. B. Jones. Founder of the proto-riot grrrl band, Fifth Column, filmmaker and artist, Jones first published her drawings in her fanzine J.D.s (stands for Juvenile Delinquents) which she co-published with filmmaker Bruce LaBruce.

One of the aspects, of what are known as the Tom Girl drawings is the appropriation of the fetish art of Tom of Finland. While the images are, like Tom of Finland, highly erotic they also in many examples depict the figures as a threat to authority. Hence Arnold J. Kemp’s words below.

Jones gave her series of drawings names like Tattoo Girls, Cruising and I am a Fascist Pig.

Artist Arnold J. Kemp said of G.B. Jones work:

G.B. Jones has an uneasy fascination with authority and uses her gender and sexual preference to exploit fantasies of rock & roll, sex, groupies, booze, drugs, money, leather, torn jeans, motorcycles and stardom as an all out assault against values that would strive for assimilation of queer culture into the mainstream. She’s every queer girl and boy’s hero, whether you want her to be or not. Believe it or don’t, she is looking out for every queer’s best interests.

G. B. JONES bio:

Born: Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, 1965 
Lives: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Early ’80s: Forms queer punk and Fifth Column
1991: Her drawings are first shown in New York galleries.
1996:  G. B. Jones, is released. It is a book of her drawings edited by Steve LaFreniere. The book is banned in Canada.
2010 – 2011: The first full and comprehensive retrospective of Jones’ work was held at Lexander in Los Angeles.

Published: 2nd August 2015

Categorised in: Friends of Tom