For more than four decades, the Tom of Finland Foundation has stood proudly at the intersection of art, advocacy, and unapologetic eroticism. What began in 1984 as a way to protect and preserve the works of the Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen—better known as Tom of Finland—has grown into a powerful cultural force that defends creative freedom, promotes sexual liberation, and uplifts queer artists around the world.
Now, in a time when creative expression and queer visibility are increasingly under threat, the Foundation is not backing down. Instead, it’s stepping boldly forward with a brand-new exhibition titled “FXLK PLAY: Mythmaking, Devotion, and Mischief.” Opening September 12, 2025 at Long Hall in West Hollywood’s Plummer Park, the exhibit promises to be a joyful, defiant, and deeply moving celebration of queer art and the enduring spirit of Tom’s legacy.
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Founded by Durk Dehner and Tom himself in 1984, the Tom of Finland Foundation was originally a way to safeguard the massive archive of homoerotic artwork Tom had created over decades. At a time when explicit queer imagery was often dismissed, censored, or outright destroyed, the Foundation became a rare safe haven—both for Tom’s work and for a growing number of artists who needed protection, validation, and a place to belong.
What began with a single artist’s legacy has now expanded into an international community. As Foundation CEO Edward Cella told Gayety,
“As we celebrate over 40 years of this work, we’re also looking toward the next forty, asking what the future of Tom’s legacy can and should be.”
At the heart of this legacy is TOM House, the iconic Los Angeles home that functions as both an archive and an artist sanctuary. Over the years, TOM House has welcomed dozens of artists through its Artist-in-Residence (A-i-R) program, giving them the space and support to explore eroticism, queerness, and their creative truth.
“FXLK PLAY” is the first exhibition to shine a spotlight specifically on the A-i-R program, featuring works from over 60 LGBTQ+ artists—past residents, invited guests, and creators influenced by TOM House’s unique energy and philosophy. Curated by Jamison Edgar, the show invites the public into a richly textured, sensual, and emotionally resonant world.
And best of all? The exhibit is free and open to the public Thursdays through Sundays, with docents on site to guide visitors through its provocative and celebratory experience.
The exhibition unfolds in four themed sections, each offering a lens into how eroticism and identity intersect:
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“House of Gods” draws directly from the Foundation’s unmatched archive, which includes over 1,000 pieces by Tom and 8,000 by other queer artists. It’s a tribute to the divine in desire and the holiness of honesty.
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“Pleasure Park” explores how intimacy, fantasy, and queerness transform physical space. Inspired by TOM House’s gardens and architecture, it reflects how even the most private corners can bloom into art.
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“Skeletons in the Closet” dives deep into taboo, kink, gender, and race. Featuring a listening station with voices from former resident artists, this section is raw, reflective, and brave.
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“DOM TOM” is a raucous and reverent homage to Tom himself—his art, his activism, and his enduring mission to embrace erotic resistance.
At its core, the exhibition is about freedom—the freedom to be sexual, to be queer, to be seen. In his interview, Cella said it best:
“Sexuality is inseparable from queer identity. To ask artists to exclude eroticism is to ask them to censor themselves. This exhibition creates space for unfiltered expression. Desire is not something to be hidden, it’s something to be honored.”
Photo Credit: tomofinland.orgIn a world where censorship is once again rising, and queer lives are politicized daily, “FXLK PLAY” is not just an exhibition. It’s an act of joyful resistance. It’s a space that says: your body, your desires, your truth—they all belong in the light.
As the Tom of Finland Foundation looks ahead to the next 40 years, it does so with boldness, beauty, and a belief in the transformative power of art. “FXLK PLAY” invites us all to celebrate desire not as a secret, but as a source of strength. And in that, there’s something undeniably revolutionary.
REFERENCE: Gayety
Pity then that Laaksonen’ s own early sexual fetishism involving men in Nazi uniforms continues to play such a significant part in a section of the gay community today – most especially today, as right-wing extremism is flourishing in many nations, along with the danger to the community that he was (and we are) a part of.
Its not just a fetish costume – it speaks to something far darker.