Tom of Finland’s exhibition Highway Patrol, Greasy Rider, and Other Selected Works at David Kordansky Gallery in Chelsea presents several different collections of graphite and ink drawings, as well as collages that explore masculinity, sexuality, and freedom by way of idealist and euphoric pornographic imagery. Finland used stereotypically masculine figures like police officers, cowboys, sailors, and bikers engaged in a variety of explicit homoerotic acts to subvert traditional ideas of masculinity and heteronormativity. He seems to both romanticize and simplify his characters by emphasizing and exaggerating the male figure, more specifically their muscles and genitalia, to the verge of being unrealistic. The repetition of these figures was used to create visual narratives, and highlighted Finland’s focus on anatomy and pose, which can also be seen in the collage studies of beautiful muscly men.
The scale of the pieces and similar sizing, stay close to letter sized with slight variations, which allows the work to remain intimate. The inarguably explicit drawings displayed traditionally, in standard gallery style within the large space, use thin frames and larger borders between the frame and art that makes the work more approachable. The provocative work feels tender when one is able to see the edge of the paper within the frames. There is a boyish charm where the work does not feel vulgar or offensive but rather unabashed and cheeky.
-Gabrielle
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