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A Timeline of
Events and Artworks


Notes & Sources:

The timeline is limited to the years surrounding the lifetime of Reidar Särestöniemi (1925 - 1981).

‘Artworks of Interest’ are of particular, subjective interest to me, as a researcher — often because they represent male subjects, self portraits of Reidar, or may comment on his romantic / sexual relationships.

Queer historical events included here are limited from a much more extensive timeline. They are not intended to be exhaustive or representative, but are instead selected to offer significant moments that coincide with key dates in Reidar’s biography, or note changes in LGBT rights in Finland. 







— Reidar Säresöniemi 1925 - 1981, ed. Päivi Ruutianinen, Särestöniemi Museum Foundation, 1989

— Reidar Säresöniemi maailma, ed. Juha Ilvas, Oy Art Fennica AB, 2000

— Reidar Säresöniemi, Eeli Aalto, Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiön, 1976

— Reidar Särestöniemi — Arctic Energy, ed. Maria Didrichsen, Riika Laczak, Didrichsen, 2010

— ‘Timeline of LGBT history, 20th Century’, Wikipedia

— ‘LGBTQ History Timeline References’, GLSEN


Year

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1919
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1925
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1931
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1943
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1944 
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1945
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1947
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1950
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1951
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1952
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1954
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1956
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1959
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1964
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1965
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1967
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1968
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1969
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1970
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1971
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1972
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1973
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1974
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1975
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1976
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1977
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1978
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1979
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1981
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1982
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Age

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0
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6
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18
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19
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20
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22
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25 
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26
- 
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27
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29 
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31
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34
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39
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41
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42
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43
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44
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45
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46
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47
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48
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49
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50
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51
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52
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53
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54
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56
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Life Events

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14th May. Reidar born in Kittilä (parents Matti Enok Kaukonen and Alma Alina os Andersen)
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The family adopt the name Särestöneimi
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Military service. Fights on the Karelian front and later in Lapland
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Returned home from war at the end of November
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Begins studies at Fine Art Academy of Finland, and the drawing dept. of the University of Helsinki 
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Ends studies at Fine Art Academy of Finland
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Study travels to France and Italy 
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Begins studies at Leningrad Art Academy 
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Ends studies at Leningrad Art Academy. Exhibition in Helsinki
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Exhibition in Helsinki. Study travels to Spitsbergen. Calotti Award Exhibition in Stockholm.
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First studio home built, freely adapted from Robert Gunst’s drawings
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First writes to Yrjö Kaijärvi in February
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Reidar and Yrjö first meet in person after corresponding through the winter. Exhibitions in Murmansk, Paris, and Luxembourg 
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Arne Berner buy the painting Prohibition and Longing
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Death of Yrjö Kaijärvi. Reidar hears about it whilst sailing to Antartica
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Connects with Kalervo Palsa at the three-day funeral of their mutual friend Timo K. Mukka. Reidar’s mother dies, age 80
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Reidar’s father dies, age 84
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Granted title of professor. Exhibition of his works in Helsinki to commemorate his 50th birthday, Didrichsen Art Gallery. Travels to USA
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Eeli Aalto’s book published
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New Year’s Eve, the artist studio burns down. The fire destroyed the studio and all of the works in it. The adjacent art gallery managed to be protected by the fire brigade
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Proposes to Palsa in February. New studio (White Sea House) completed by architects Reima and Raili Pietilä within 10 months
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Reidar dies suddenly of a strong cardiac arrhythmia caused by the combined effect of sleeping pills and alcohol
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Commemorative exhibitions in Kemi, Rovaniemi, Tampere and Helsinki
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Artworks of Interest

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Arab Model, oil, 89 x 116 cm, Jacob Wrestling With the Angel, oil, 73.5 x 65.5 cm, Christmas newsletter, Fine Arts Academy of Finland, watercolour, 32.5 x 29.5 cm 
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Portrait of a Man, oil on hardboard, 82 x 62 cm, attributed to ‘1950s’
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Narcissus, woodcut,  18.5 x 15cm, The Thinker, soft-ground etching, 18.5 x 13.5cm, Arcadia I, oil, 53 x 90 cm, Arcardia II, oil, 63.5 x 98 cm
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Log Jam Breakers, oil,  97 x 148 cm
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Armenian Man (Robert, Roberto), oil, 98 x 80 cm 
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Chinese Artist, oil and tempera, 98.5 x 71 cm, Boy with a Snake, oil, 100 x 73 cm
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Boy with Sick Bird, oil and tempera, 100 x 72 cm, Self Portrait, oil, 120 x 65 cm, During the Green Moon, destroyed in a fire, Armenian, lithograph, 49 x 37 cm
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Prohibition and Longing, oil, 120 x 120 cm
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Lynx, oil and tempera, 120 x 140 cm, Learning to Play the Ballad of the Red-Spotted Fish, oil and tempera, 140 x 140 cm, Meeting of Fugitives, oil and tempera, 120 x 120 cm
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Lovers beneath the Midnight Sun, oil and tempera, 150 x 150 cm, Fires of the Reindeer Shepherds, oil, 140 x 140 cm
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On Earth as it is in Heaven (diptych), oil and tempera, 135 x 135 cm, Arctic Dialogue, oil and tempera, 140 x 140 cm
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The Sun Setting on My Family Tree (first version), oil and tempera, 150 x 115cm, Good Morning, My Love, oil,  175 x 175 cm, Seals in Love, material and dimensions to be confirmed
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Negation of Love, oil, 120 x 120 cm
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My Roots are in the Land of the Midnight Sun, oil, 135 x 135 cm, There are Many Paths to Heaven (Satyr as Janus), oil and tempera, 130 x 130 cm
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Dreams Have Wings, mixed media, 100 x 100 cm
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Portrait of Pekka, mixed media, 100 x 100 cm
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Raging Lynx, mixed media, 125 x 125 cm
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Events from Queer History

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6th July. Magnus Hirschfield opens the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft in Berlin
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Ma Rainey is arrested for having a lesbian party at her house, Harlem, New York City
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‘Las Caronlinas’ carry out the first LGBT demonstration in history, Barcelona
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Homosexuality decriminalised in Sweden, with the age of consent set at 20 
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The Organisation for Sexual Equality formed in Sweden, The Mattachine Society founded in Los Angeles
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Adonis magazine launched, Japan
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First homosexual uprising in the USA, at Cooper’s Doughnuts in Los Angeles
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27th July. Sexual Offences Act 1967, UK
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28th June -  3rd July. Stonewall riots, New York City
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First Gay Liberation Day March held in New York City
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Homosexuality removed from criminal law, Finland
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Homosexuality decriminalised in Norway
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The first openly LGTB telephone help line, London
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Harvey Milk becomes the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California
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Tom of Finland Company is founded
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Homosexuality removed from official disease classification, Finland
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Almost 800 people are infected with GRID (Gay-Related Immunodeficiency Disorder). By the end of 1982 the name is changed to AIDS