TOM OF FINLAND FOUNDATION INC
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Mission Statement
Tom of Finland Foundation (ToFF) is dedicated to protect, preserve, document and educate the public about queer art and artists. ToFF shall continue to encourage the work of erotic visual artists regardless of race, creed, religion, gender, sexual identity, medium of expression or any other censoring criteria.
About This Cause
Our mission: Unlike many artists, Tom of Finland’s work has always been appreciated by a grass-roots audience as his work was first seen in commercial settings such as magazine illustration, posters and advertising. From the perspective of art historians, Tom’s work had an effect on global culture unmatched by that of virtually any other artist. Tom’s work had a defining impact on the way Gay men throughout the world were perceived and more importantly, how they perceived themselves. Tom’s work has, therefore, had a ripple effect throughout Gay and Straight culture, influencing lifestyle, political tolerance, design, fashion and art. One of the primary goals of the Foundation is to promote Tom’s work along with other erotic art so that it receives the academic attention it deserves. From a critical perspective, thanks in part to the sustained commitment of the Foundation, Tom’s art is receiving the acknowledgment it merits. The Finnish Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma was the first to make a progressive move in its 1991 acquisition of three Tom of Finland works. In 1997 Tom’s work was acquired by two more major museums: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. In 2020, Tom’s work can be seen in The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Los Angeles, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York, and The Art Institute of Chicago. Actively promoted by the Foundation, Tom’s work is increasingly being shown in galleries worldwide. A well-received exhibition at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles, California in 2015 established this cutting edge gallery as the official representative for sales of Tom’s work in the contemporary art world. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization, a 501(c)(3) Educational Archive: #95-406-5795, supported by donations from the public, various fund-raising events and dues from its loyal membership. The men and women who support our efforts and goals dedicate themselves both financially and as volunteers enabling the Foundation to present an impressive number of activities on a limited budget. Tom of Finland Company exists as a separate entity from the Foundation. The Company was first established by Tom and Durk to oversee the publication of his work and to eliminate widespread piracy of his images. In order to further the goal of supporting both Tom’s art and the art of other erotic artists, the Company initiated and funded Tom of Finland Foundation. The Foundation has produced three Tom of Finland Retrospectives. The third volume features the finest representation of his work yet with a foreword by noted photographer Bruce Weber and an essay by former Whitney Museum curator Richard Marshall. In recent years, the Foundation has rapidly expanded its Permanent Collection through donations of all manner of erotic artworks, by artists of all genders and sexual orientations. In addition, a growing archive of images by other artists to complement the extensive one of Tom’s work is always in progress. These archives provide an invaluable resource to curators, students, art historians and collectors. To support and encourage emerging erotic artists the Foundation produces a competition which provides exhibition of their work, publicity and awards. The promotion and sale of both new and established artists is facilitated through exhibitions at TOM House. The work represented ranges from unknown to established artists and has exceeded expectations in providing a place to expand the commercial value and exposure of erotic art. The Foundation hosts social events throughout the year to raise funds and to provide a sense of community for supporters of erotic art. An example is the annual TOM’s Bar which promotes and exhibits erotic art in a very popular party setting and raises funds to support the Foundation’s activities at the same time. The annual Tom of Finland Art and Culture Festival brings together artists and patrons from many parts of the globe. It provides them with a social environment in which to network, opportunities to explore the archives and most importantly, the opportunity to buy and sell works at the two-day art fair. What we do: Hard to believe that our beloved Tom was born in 1920, 100 years ago. His legacy of unique, sexy, homo erotic art work lives on and continues to inspire countless art lovers throughout the world, due in part to the ongoing work of TOM’s Foundation. In 2020, as we entered this landmark year #TOMs100, the Foundation has been reviewing the public programs we offer and income received from the public in the form of donations and memberships to support these programs. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) public charity and is required to be both serving the public and supported by the public. The original mission of the Foundation since its inception in 1984 has been to preserve TOM’s vast catalog of work. That mission was expanded and the Foundation now offers a safe haven for all erotic art. Today, the Foundation offers public programming. Approximately 80% of the Foundation’s budget goes to providing public services.