Durk Dehner for GAYLETTER

Some spaces are full of magic. TOM House is undeniably one of those spaces. Nestled in the hills of Echo Park, the residence houses Tom of Finland Foundation, along with one of the largest collections of homo-erotic art in the world and a vibrant community of gay crusaders.

In the summer of 2016, I was fortunate to be inducted into TOM House as the artist-in-residence, completing a (pending) collection of erotic non-fiction stories inspired by the space. I was unaware, then, that living here would completely transform me.

Beyond exposure to the ever growing archives housed on site, I was embraced by a gay family, one that supported and encouraged me to develop into a more realized version of myself. The inhabitants of TOM House share a collective vision: to embrace and glorify our nature. This is manifested through our creative expression.

This morning the whole place is bustling, as the Foundation crates artwork for three European exhibitions that ship out this week. This kind of rumpus is commonplace, but beneath the wild operation, the constant events and artist collaborations, we are a loving menagé. In a rare quiet moment, I was able to snatch Durk away to conduct this interview.

While Durk sat in a big armed chair painted with statuesque men, we got to talking about Tom of Finland, the Foundation, and his place in all this. Our housemate Stuart (who would later snap the polaroids for this interview) sat by listening, because moments like these are worth basking in. Durk Dehner is the head of our tribe. He is the man who brought the magic, and ultimately Tom of Finland, to this house.