Robert Mapplethorpe's 1983 « Self-Portrait » © Robert Mapplethorpe
Dunoon Burgh Hall Burgh Hall 195 Argyll Street PA23 7DE Dunoon Royaume-Uni
Robert Mapplethorpe has proven to be one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, renowned for his magnificent black and white prints which have stirred artistic debate and intrigue.
Born in New York City in 1946, Mapplethorpe produced some of the most striking images in photographic history. Garnering fame and notoriety in equal measure, Mapplethorpe thrived on pushing the boundaries in his work with both his choice of subject and technique. This has led to him often being remembered exclusively for his occasional controversial images of the human body. However, his astute understanding of form and light and his meticulous approach to composition create truly magnificent and enduring images.
The « Artist Rooms » collection of Mapplethorpe’s photographs allows these ‘controversial’ works to be considered in the context of his entire oeuvre. Famous in the 1970s and 1980s, he tested the right to individual freedom with these images – they were not meant to be titillating or shocking, but beautiful in a traditionally classical way. His work holds a significant place in the history of artistic struggle to depict the world as it is with honesty and truth.
Self Portrait, 1980 © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Photo et vignette © Robert Mapplethorpe