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An Ode to Tom: Homoerotic Art from Japan (The Container: Catalogues)
- Mateo O.
- Oct 22
- 4 min read
In 2020, tucked inside a shipping container in Nakameguro, Tokyo, an exhibition quietly bridged continents, eras, and generations. An Ode to Tom: Homoerotic Art from Japan wasn’t just another gallery show, it was a conversation across time. Curated by Shai Ohayon for The Container, this exhibition brought together three major Japanese artists of homoerotic art: Goh Mishima, Gengoroh Tagame, and Jiraiya. Each one, in their own way, carried the legacy of Tom of Finland while redefining it for Japan.
The bilingual exhibition catalogue, Japanese and English, feels like an artifact of connection. Alongside artwork from the three featured artists, it includes reflections from The Container’s director, Ohayon, and Georgie Ichikawa, chairperson of Mr. Gay Japan, who writes on the state of LGBTQ rights in Japan. Together, they turn a small book into something much larger: a dialogue between art and identity.
Between Tom and Tokyo
To understand An Ode to Tom, you have to start with the shadow of Tom of Finland the man whose unapologetic depictions of masculine desire revolutionized gay visual culture. His influence wasn’t just stylistic; it was spiritual. He drew men who didn’t apologize for their strength or sexuality. That energy found its way to Japan, where artists like Mishima and Tagame began creating their own visual languages for gay desire.
In Tokyo’s The Container, literally a reconstructed shipping container turned art space, that influence came full circle. The exhibition ran from September 21 to November 30, 2020, functioning as a satellite show to Japan’s first Tom of Finland exhibition. Where Tom’s original works represented liberation born out of postwar Europe, An Ode to Tom reflected what that freedom looked like through Japanese eyes: disciplined, emotional, and deeply personal.
Three Artists, Three Eras
Goh Mishima, often called the pioneer of Japanese homoerotic art, came of age during the postwar decades when queer life was forced into the underground. His men were stoic, muscular, and bound, both literally and figuratively. Mishima’s style balanced dominance and quiet dignity, often placing his figures in worlds defined by tension.
Gengoroh Tagame, whose presence here feels both historical and current, represents the generational bridge. His art carries the spirit of Mishima but leans into raw narrative power, scenes that aren’t just erotic, but emotional, complex, and political. Tagame’s involvement also ties this exhibition to his larger mission: preserving and legitimizing gay erotic art as part of Japan’s cultural history.
Jiraiya, the youngest of the three, brings contemporary playfulness into the mix. His works, full of bright colors, confidence, and warmth, reimagine masculinity for a more open generation. He channels Tom of Finland’s joy, but through the filter of Japanese manga, creating a distinctly local sense of pride and humor.
Together, these artists embody two generations of Japanese homoerotic art, showing how influence can evolve without imitation.
The Container: A Small Space for Big Conversations
What makes An Ode to Tom remarkable isn’t just its artists, it’s the setting. The Container is exactly what its name implies: a shipping container turned art space in the heart of one of Tokyo’s most stylish neighborhoods. The space measures only 485 by 180 by 177 centimeters, yet its exhibitions have attracted global attention from publications like Artforum, Hyperallergic, and The Japan Times.
By curating within such a confined space, Ohayon forces viewers to confront the art up close. You can’t step back from it. The intimacy becomes part of the experience, a fitting metaphor for queer art itself, which often thrives in tight, unseen spaces before it breaks into the open.
Legacy and Reflection
The catalogue’s bilingual presentation is more than a translation choice, it’s an act of accessibility. It acknowledges that Japan’s queer art history doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a larger global conversation about how gay men have represented themselves through the decades.
Georgie Ichikawa’s contribution anchors this beautifully. His essay on LGBTQ rights in Japan places the art in context, reminding readers that visibility in galleries doesn’t always mean equality in society. That contrast, beauty and struggle, fantasy and reality, is what makes An Ode to Tom feel so vital.
Final Reflection on An Ode to Tom: Homoerotic Art from Japan
An Ode to Tom stands as a visual love letter, not only to Tom of Finland but to every artist who dared to draw what they desired. It’s a reminder that homoerotic art, especially in Japan, isn’t just about the body. It’s about lineage, resistance, and continuity.
From Mishima’s inked stoicism to Jiraiya’s digital boldness, the evolution of Japanese gay art reflects both the changing face of masculinity and the enduring need for representation. The Container, small as it is, became the perfect vessel for that message, proof that powerful things often happen in confined spaces.
In the end, An Ode to Tom isn’t just an exhibition. It’s a statement: that desire, when drawn with honesty, becomes history.
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