Join the Los Angeles City Historical Society for a special tour of the historic Tom of Finland House, the former studio and residence of the influential queer artist in Echo Park.
Please Note: The artwork at the Tom of Finland House contains mature themes and may not be suitable for all audiences and ages.
The beautiful 1911 Craftsman house, built when the newly subdivided land was still known as Sunset Boulevard Heights, was once home to artist Touko Laaksonen (aka Tom of Finland), internationally renowned for his distinctive and influential erotic illustrations. In 1980, Durk Dehner, the owner of the now private-public residence, invited Laaksonen to live in his recently purchased Echo Park home.
Tom of Finland’s home in Los Angeles is recognized not only for its historic architecture but as a cultural resource of the City of Los Angeles. Tom of Finland House (TOM House) is significant for its association with Tom, the historic personage who lived here during the last decade of his life. This era marked a particularly productive period in his career with his contributions to erotic art and Gay culture.
In 1984, the nonprofit Tom of Finland Foundation (ToFF) was established by Dehner and his friend Tom. As Tom 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.
The City of Los Angeles identified TOM House as a potential historic resource in its 2014 SurveyLA LGBT Historic Context Statement, and in November 2016, the City Council designated it Historic-Cultural Monument #1135, granting it landmark status and solidifying its place in LGBTQ+ history.
ABOUT THE TOUR
The guided house tour includes Tom of Finland's attic studio, largely preserved as he left it, as well as highlights from the Tom of Finland Foundation's archive, including works by Robert Mapplethorpe, John Waters, Arthur Tress, Hector Silva, Etienne and George Quaintance and more. ToFF bills itself as the world’s largest repository of erotic art, with more than 100,000 images, materials — 3,500 of which belong to the iconic artist himself. The house also hosts an Artist-in-Residence program, which is open to artists from around the world.
More information can be found here: https://www.tomoffinland.org/
Tickets: $20
Capacity is limited. As LACHS celebrates PRIDE month, 100% of the sales from the tickets will benefit the Tom of Finland Foundation. There will also be an optional donation to the Los Angeles City Historical Society.
If you are not a member yet, you can join the Los Angeles City Historical Society here: https://www.lacityhistory.org/support
ALL SALES FINAL
If you are unable to attend once you've made your reservation, please let us know as soon as possible as there will be a waitlist.
If you have questions about the event, please email us at lacityhistoryevents@gmail.com.
LOCATION:
1421 Laveta Terrace
Los Angeles, California 90026
More information can be found here: https://www.tomoffinland.org/
