Why must desire fit categories, when it never asked to — why?
This image was inspired by two works I’ve seen in exhibitions: Tom of Finland (Kiasma, Helsinki 2023) and Robert Mapplethorpe (Kiasma, Helsinki 2015). The artists knew each other personally, and Mapplethorpe drew inspiration from Tom’s images. I checked a few books but couldn’t find the exact works I remember from the exhibitions. While browsing a Mapplethorpe book, I came across an image of a hooded man that I didn’t recall seeing at the time, but it bears a resemblance to this series.
