ATomofFinlandsketchbook,withpreparatorydrawingsthatrevealhispainstakingcraftsmanshipPositionedatsomethingofanangletoarthistory,TomofFinland(1920-91)nonethelesscountsamongthepopularartistsofthelatter20thcentury.Throughhisiconicimages,healmostsinglehandedlychangedthewaygaymenwereperceivedbysociety,and,moreimportantly,howgaymenperceivedthemselves.Themassiveoeuvrethatheproducedoverthecourseofacareerspanningnearlysixdecadesisdevotedalmostentirelytothisonetopic:men,theirbodiesandtheireroticism.Thisextraordinaryconsistencyinsubjectmatterwasmatchedbyalifelongpassionforthedisciplineofdrawing.AndTommostlikelydreweverydayofhislife.Tom’sworldwaspopulatedbycowboys,mechanics,cops,punksandthugs--allindulgingtheirdesireswithgreatcamaraderieandwithoutguiltorprejudice.Thisbookassemblesacrosssectionofthesecharactersasdevisedbytheartistinroughsketchesormorecarefullyexecutedstudies.Thesemostlyservedaspreliminarydrawingsforthehighlyfinishedworks,manyofwhichwereintendedforpublication.DesignedasanimaginedTomofFinlandsketchbook,thisbookletstheviewershareinhisexuberantjoiedevivre.
