「Reality & Fantasy  The World of Tom of Finland」は、1946年から1989年の間に製作された30点の作品から成り、Tom of Finlandのキャリア全体を網羅しながら、彼の多彩な才能に注目すると同時に、LGBTQの権利を世界中に推し進め、ゲイ・カルチャーの創成期を担ったLGBTQのレジェンドとしての彼の一面も紹介します。 ​

　グラファイトやグアッシュ、マーカー、ペン、インクなど様々な手法で制作されたピースと彼の活動のマイルストーンとも言えるピースを通し、彼の芸術的なスタイルの発展を見ることが出来ます。Tomの名が一躍有名になるきっかけとなった、『Physique Pictorial』誌の表紙を飾ったドローイング2点「無題」（AGM『Men of the Forests of Finland』より、1957年）、「無題」（AGM『Motorcycle Thief』シリーズより、1964年）など、誌面で掲載されたドローイングも数多く紹介します。​

　この展覧会では、Tom of Finlandが担ったゲイカルチャー、自由な人間本来の自由に対しての役割にもフォーカスしています。Tomはゲイの人々が変えようと戦っていた法律や社会の厳しい現実（リアリティー）に直面しながらも、男性の身体を官能的でエロティックに描くことで社会の変容とゲイの人々の受容を促しました。性の解放とともにファンタジーの世界を追求しながら、Tomはまったく新しい「ゲイの男らしさ」を描くことで、当時の社会がゲイ男性に押し付けていたイメージを払拭しました。自由と社会の寛容を促した歴史的作家、 Tom of Finland待望の日本初個展開催となります。 ​

Reality & Fantasy The World of Tom of Finland, brings together a selection of works, covering the artist’s entire four decades of career, and presents works on paper using a variety of mediums, such as graphite, gouache, markers, and pen & ink. Historically, the images highlight milestones and artistic stylistic developments in Tom’s life and practice—starting with his 1940s and '50s paintings in gouache, of men in stylish attire and uniforms, such as sailors, soldiers and policemen, in fantastic and romantic compositions, influenced by his army service in Finland—to his stylized depictions of leathermen and muscle men in the ’60s and ’70s, and the cleaner, high contrast and graphic drawings of his later career when he was working in Los Angeles.

The exhibition also features many works commissioned by the Athletic Model Guild (AMG), founded and headed by Bob Mizer in 1945. Tom and Bob had a long-time professional relationship. It was Bob that added "of Finland" to Tom's name as was the fashion of the day. Reality and Fantasy, includes a number of drawings that appeared in AMG's magazine Physique Pictorial, including two drawings that appeared on the cover of the magazine (Untitled, from the AGM “Men of the Forests of Finland” series, 1957; and Untitled, from the AGM “Motorcycle Thief" series, 1964.)

The exhibition puts emphasis on Tom of Finland’s role in promoting sensual and erotic depictions of the male body as a catalyst for social change and the acceptance of gay people, while facing a legal and social reality they were fighting to change. Delving into a world of fantasy, with sexual freedom, Tom depicted a new “gay masculinity”, adding to the vocabulary of what gay men were allowed to be by society.

The exhibition, at GALLERY X, is the fruits of a collaboration between the Finnish Institute Japan, the Embassy of Finland in Japan, the Tom of Finland Foundation, The Container gallery, and PARCO. The exhibition is curated by the Tokyo-based curator and director of The Container, Mr. Shai Ohayon. The exhibition was designed to coincide with Tom’s 100th birthday anniversary - #TOMs100.

1. TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920-1991), Untitled, 1963, Graphite paper, 12.44 in. x 9.38 in., Tom of Finland Foundation permanent collection, © 1963 - 2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

2. TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920-1991), Untitled (From the Athletic Model Guild "Men of the Forests of Finland" series), 1957, Graphite paper, 13.00 in. x 9.50 in., Tom of Finland Foundation permanent collection, © 1957 - 2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

3. TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920-1991), Portrait of Pekka (Cover of Sex in the Shed), 1975, Gouache on paper, 10.69 in. x 8.81 in., Tom of Finland Foundation permanent collection, © 1975 - 2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

4. TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920-1991), Untitled, 1989, Graphite paper, 12.31 in. x 9.38 in., Tom of Finland Foundation permanent collection, © 1989 - 2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

5. TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920-1991), Untitled (From the Athletic Model Guild "Motorcycle Thief" series), 1964, Graphite paper, 12.69 in. x 8.63 in., Tom of Finland Foundation permanent collection, © 1964 - 2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

6. TOM OF FINLAND (Finnish, 1920-1991), Untitled, 1947, Graphite paper, 11.31 in. x 8.19 in., Tom of Finland Foundation permanent collection, © 1947 - 2020 Tom of Finland Foundation

※画像はイメージです。
※デザインは変更となる場合がございます。

フィンランドのアーティスト（1920年5月8日 - 1991年11月7日）。ゲイを描いた作品や、LGBTの人々の権利と彼らが社会から受容されることを目指した社会運動を推し進めたことで広く知られている。彼が生前に製作したドローイングは3500を数え、ニューヨーク近代美術館（MoMA）、アート・インスティテュート・シカゴ、ロサンゼルス・カウンティ美術館、ヘルシンキ現代美術館などに収蔵されている。​

In 1984, the nonprofit Tom of Finland Foundation (ToFF) was established by Durk Dehner and his friend Tom. As Tom of Finland had established worldwide recognition as the master of homoerotic art, the Foundation’s original purpose was to preserve his vast catalog of work. Several years later the scope was widened to offer a safe haven for all erotic art in response to rampant discrimination against art that portrayed sexual behavior or generated a sexual response. Today ToFF continues in its efforts of educating the public as to the cultural merits of erotic art and in promoting healthier, more tolerant attitudes about sexuality.

www.TomOfFinland.org