Tom of Finland

NOK 7,000.00

Untitled, 1978/2024

with the printed signature and date 78

Giclée print on paper

40 x 35 cm

Published in London in 2024 in an edition of 70

This limited edition print was published by House of Voltaire, London, in collaboration with the Tom of Finland Estate in 2024. The edition reproduces a highly skilled drawing from 1978 that came to international prominence when it featured as one of three stamps produced by the Finnish Post Office in 2014 to celebrate Tom of Finland's legacy.

Untitled, 1978/2024

with the printed signature and date 78

Giclée print on paper

40 x 35 cm

Published in London in 2024 in an edition of 70

This limited edition print was published by House of Voltaire, London, in collaboration with the Tom of Finland Estate in 2024. The edition reproduces a highly skilled drawing from 1978 that came to international prominence when it featured as one of three stamps produced by the Finnish Post Office in 2014 to celebrate Tom of Finland's legacy.

Tom of FInland stamps, 2014, in the collection of the victoria & Albert museum, London

As with all of Tom’s works, the image is exemplified by a highly coded visual language but radiates joy and vitality. By the time of the original stamp’s release, they had been pre-ordered in 178 countries worldwide and are now part of the V&A’s permanent collection.

Tom of Finland (Touko Laaksonen, 1920-1991) is recognised for his ground-breaking representation of the male figure. A master draughtsman, Tom’s passion for both his medium and his subject matter enabled him to become a powerful cultural force. Tom gave form to an imaginative universe that, in turn, helped fuel real-world liberation movements and enabled gay men to access their strength in new ways. Tom’s drawings reaffirm the centrality of sexuality, joy, and the body in all areas of human endeavour.

In recent years there has been a significant re-evaluation of his artistic practice. Previously somewhat dismissed as only of gay interest, his work has since been exhibited in galleries and public institutions (David Kordansky, LA; ICA, London; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Artists Space, New York). His work is in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki; Art Institute of Chicago; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.