January 23, 2014 | Arts / Entertainment

Curator discusses Bob Mizer and Tom Of Finland exhibition

In this video, artist Richard Hawkins tours Bob Mizer & Tom of Finland, the first American museum exhibition devoted to the art of Mizer (1922-1992) and Touko Laaksonen, a.k.a. "Tom of Finland" (1920-1991), at the MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

Hawkins, who guest co-curated the exhibition with MOCA curator Bennett Simpson, examines selections from the first-ever presentation of catalogue boards of Mizer's Athletic Model Guild studios, which to him are enthusiastic celebrations of everyday youth and beauty, as well as Tom of Finland's pencil drawings and pen-and-ink illustrations of radical sexuality. 

The exhibit comes to a close on Jan. 26.