Tom of Finland Foundation Splits With Co-Founder Over Legacy

Durk Dehner resigned as president of the Tom of Finland Foundation in 2025 under pressure from fellow trustees, and the fight over the artist's legacy has only sharpened since. The dispute pits Laaksonen's former muse, model and business partner against the nonprofit he co-founded with the artist in 1984.

Tom of Finland, the pen name of Touko Laaksonen, built a cult following in the 1950s with illustrations of beefy bikers and leather-clad policemen. He died in 1991. His gay erotica is now held by multiple major museums and appears in fashion shows, films and nightclub bathrooms.

His former Los Angeles home, TOM House, is a city landmark. It sits in Echo Park and has become a symbol of the gay community there.

Why did Dehner resign?

Images resurfaced of Dehner wearing Nazi regalia. He apologized and said the images were remnants of an era when some people in fetish communities dressed as Nazis to appear subversive.

The apology did not save his standing. He was dropped as a judge for the pageant International Mr. Leather. The competition's executive director said: "Hate has no place at I.M.L. Period, full stop."

Dehner, a Canadian businessman and leatherman, had led the foundation since its creation. He served as president from 1984 until his resignation in 2025.

What does the dispute involve besides the images?

Money. The trustees say their review of the foundation's books found that Dehner received royalty payments for licensing and other fees over the years — payments they believe were supposed to go to the foundation, according to the trustees' account of their review.

The foundation is a nonprofit tasked with protecting the artist's work. Its trustees now control the institution Dehner built alongside Laaksonen.

What does this change for the art?

Laaksonen's market position is secure regardless of who runs the foundation. Multiple major museums hold his work, and his imagery has moved from underground erotica to mainstream fashion and film. The question the fight raises is narrower: who stewards that legacy, and whether the institution set up in 1984 can keep its own house in order while it does.