Today marks what would have been the 100th birthday of the iconic gay artist Tom of Finland (1920 – 1991), an anniversary celebrated annually in LA by the Tom of Finland Foundation, lovingly overseen by the custodian of Tom’s legacy, Durk Dehner. Durk and LA artist Richard Hawkins told me that the late Mike Kelley collected Tom’s work, which shouldn’t have come as as surprise given his interest in popular culture as a place where normative concepts of identity can be enacted, appropriated, played with and subverted.

Lewis G. Burton has released four pieces of documentation from their INFERNO Summit in November 2019. It was a great day, with guests addressing the intersections of nightlife, live art, music and queer culture. I recommend watching Artist David Hoyle being interviewed by Travis Alabanza – a really insightful, irreverent and important conversation about recognition and David's influence on a younger generation of performers.

Today I’m sharing the first feature directed by Paraguayan filmmaker Paz Encina, produced by former ICA Director of Cinema Simon Field. Hamaca Paraguaya was the first Paraguayan 35mm film to be released since the 1970s. Entirely shot in Guarani, the film follows the elderly peasant couple Cándida and Ramón together with their son Maximiliano who joined the military during the Chaco War.

‘As always, but especially now, your anxiety wakes up before you – in truth a Sartorialist – gayer and a renaissance model to boot.’ I am so charmed by Valdez’ small paintings and writings, shared here by the brilliant Nightboat Books, publisher of this Brooklyn-based painter-poet’s collection ESL or You Weren’t Here. Check out @nightboat_books for poetry readings during lockdown.

‘Thinking with care’ in this essay from ResearchGate, María Puig de la Bellacasa unpacks Donna Haraway’s ideas in the context of caring. It serves as a useful introduction to her research before I tackle her book Matters of Care: Speculative Ethics in More than Human Worlds (2017).

I recently discovered Sudan Archives, a self-taught violinist who writes, plays and produces her own music. Inspired by Sundanese fiddling – hence the name – her sound blends R&B and experimental electronic music with West African rhythms and pointed lyrics. I also recommend her tracks Glorious and Nont for Sale.