Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

He was a catalyst and an illuminator, but also a magnet for scandal. From an early age Robert Mapplethorpe had but one goal, which he single-mindedly pursued: to “make it” not just as an artist but also as an art celebrity. He could not have picked a better time: it was the Manhattan of Warhol’s Factory, of Studio 54 and, following the Stonewall riots, an era of unbridled hedonistic sexuality. His first solo exhibition in 1976 revealed his lifelong topics: erotic depictions, flowers and portraits. He gained notoriety through his series of explicitly sexual photographs from the gay sadomasochistic scene, as well as nude pictures of black men.

The directors, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, were given unrestricted access to Mapplethorpe’s archives for their documentary “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures”, in which this exceptional artist talks candidly about himself in recently discovered interviews. At the same time, the testimonials of friends, lovers, family members, celebrities and models help paint quite a critical picture of this complex key figure of twentieth century photography.

Introduction by Eha Komissarov