Working on the design for the mask and gloves, FAKBYFAK strived to encapsulate the spirit of Tom of Finland's characters and visual language, delicately and harmoniously combine it with FAKBYFAK's inherent sense of style
TOM OF FINLAND (Touko Laaksonen, Finnish 1920 - 1991), is the creator of some of the most iconic and readily recognizable imagery of post-war gay culture and is regarded as one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. He produced thousands of images beginning in the 1940s, robbing straight homophobic culture of its most virile and masculine archetypes (bikers, hoodlums, lumberjacks, cops, cowboys, and sailors) and recasting them through deft skill and imagination - unapologetic, self-aware, and boastfully proud enthusiasts of gay sex. In 1984, Tom of Finland and his friend Durk Dehner established Tom of Finland Foundation with the purpose to preserve Tom of Finland’s vast catalogue of work and offer a safe haven for all erotic art. The Foundation works actively in educating the public in promoting healthier, more tolerant attitude about sexuality. |