After Mark Blane and Ben Mankoff’s oddball comedy CUBBY premiered at OUTFEST LGBTQ Film Festival in LA the films producers and crew celebrated with a wonderful party in the grounds of the iconic Tom of Finland’s home in Echo Park
The party was at the invitation of LA based Stuart Sandford formerly Artist in Residence at the House which is owned and preserved by the Tom of Finland Foundation.
Touko Laaksonen aka artist Tom of Finland fell in love with California after his first major successful Exhibition back in 1978 which had him eventually wanting to stay here as often as he could
This two-story Craftsman home became his home from home when its owner, Durk Dehner, invited Laaksonen to use the house as his local studio and residence, In turn they both spearheaded the Tom of Finland Foundation in the house to catalog his work and to provide a safe space for artists facing discrimination and misrepresentation due to the erotic nature of their work.
The organization continues to present erotic art in a curatorial, yet open, environment in the house and grounds where the works can be viewed and appreciated for their artistic contributions, free from judgment. It has since been recognized by the City as anHistoric-Cultural Monument
The main house was off-limits for the party, but Queerguru’s LA team Juan Salas and John Gulliot found plenty to see in the erotic and exotic grounds.
P.S. For QUEERGURU’S full review of CUBBY Movie check HERE
