ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE. 1946-1989 'ANDY WARHOL', 1986. Silver print, printed 1986, dry-mounted to card. Signed, dated on the photographer's copyright stamp and titled, dated and numbered 2/10 in ink in an unknown hand on the reverse of the card. Mounted and framed. Image 58.5 x 48.7 cm (23 3/8 x 19 1/8 in.); Robert Mapplethorpe; Lisa Lyon, Joshua Tree, 1980 Robert Mapplethorpe; Larry D., 1980 Robert Mapplethorpe; Explore Further. Most Similar Gelatin silver (developing ... Robert Mapplethorpe (American, 1946–1989) was a photographer who is equally celebrated for his Classical, elegant still lifes as for his frank portrayals of sadomasochism and homoeroticism. Mapplethorpe’s subjects were often his friends and lovers—including several celebrities—captured in dramatically lit, carefully posed studio photographs that …It's just been announced that Robert Mapplethorpe: Perfection in Form, the first ever exhibition of a modern artist in the gallery where – in addition to David – Michelangelo's unfinished ...Edward Enninful. February 16 2024. Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. I was first introduced to Robert Mapplethorpe’s work by the stylist ...Robert Mapplethorpe · From Keith Haring to Gabriel Massan—Madonna celebrates art stars at London concert · Undervalued photographers get exposure at Art Basel .....Presented by the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation 2010. Reference AR01143 You might like. Left Right. Self Portrait Robert Mapplethorpe. 1983, printed 2005. Willem de Kooning Robert Mapplethorpe . 1986. Andy Warhol Robert Mapplethorpe. 1986. Francesco Clemente Robert Mapplethorpe. 1982. Doris Saatchi Robert Mapplethorpe. 1983 ...Jan 15 - Feb 28, 2015 · Compiled and edited by Theodor Dalenson and Richard Edwards. · Robert Mapplethorpe is one of the most important American photographers of ...Biographie courte de Robert Mapplethorpe - Robert Mapplethorpe est un photographe d'art américain, réputé pour ses portraits de nus en noir et blanc, en vogue à New York pendant les années 1970 et 1980. Il naît le 4 novembre 1946 à Floral Park à New York, et décède à Boston le 9 mars 1989 à l'âge de 42 ans des …The Story behind Raf Simons / Robert Mapplethorpe ... A new display in the MoMu Collection presentation focuses on the American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe ( ... PRESS RELEASE Robert Mapplethorpe’s Photographs and Patti Smith’s Lyrics Blossom at Selby Gardens Starting February 2022. Marking Sixth Edition of Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series, Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith: Flowers, Poetry, and Light Showcases Nature-Inspired Works by Two Iconic Contemporary Artists in Garden Setting for First Time. Robert Mapplethorpe byl americký portrétní fotograf a vizuální umělec známý například svými velkoformátovými, vysoce stylizovanými černobílými fotografiemi květin a mužských aktů. V březnu roku 1989 zemřel v bostonské nemocnici na následky onemocnění AIDS.Mapplethorpe portrays himself as the archetypal bad boy, with black leather jacket, dark shirt, cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth, the coolly appraising gaze and the carefully coiffed 1950s-style hair. Mapplethorpe was keen to promote this image of himself as cool and impervious to emotion. The composition helps to underscore this.Robert Michael Mapplethorpe ( MAY-pəl-thorp; November 4, 1946 – March 9, 1989) was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs.His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images.Nov 30, 2023 · An Expansive New Exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe’s Lesser-Known Works. Miss Rosen, AnOther. 30 November 2023. Over the course of his brief but wondrous life, Robert Mapplethorpe was a seminal force in elevating photography to the realms of fine art. Guided by a clear vision, steely determination, and impeccable grace, he crafted images that ... Robert Mapplethorpe est un grand artiste classique, avec une problématique de plasticien, qui a utilisé le medium de la photographie comme il aurait pu utiliser la sculpture. Au-delà de l’aspect artistique, cette exposition est aussi un témoignage sur le New York artistique des années 1970-1980. Dans son …Robert Mapplethorpe. 1946 – 1989 ‘X’ Portfolio (Washington, D. C.: Harry Lunn; New York: Robert Miller; and London: Robert Self, 1978, an edition of 25 plus 6 artists proofs), the complete portfolio of 13 gelatin silver prints, each mounted, signed and editioned ‘8/25’ in pencil, and with the sequential plate number blindstamped …March 31, 2016. LOS ANGELES — In a midcareer self-portrait, Robert Mapplethorpe depicted himself as a devil, with a bullwhip for a tail. But he ended up on the side of the angels. In 1989, a ...Robert Mapplethorpe was raised in Queens, a middle child in a Catholic family from which he was later somewhat estranged. He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn from 1963 to 1970, taking courses in painting, drawing, and sculpture, with no intention at that time of becoming a photographer. During the 1960s he and poet/musician Patti Smith ...Robert Mapplethorpe et Patti Smith au Chelsea Hotel (New York), en 1969. Le premier est exposé au Grand Palais, jusqu'au 13 juillet. "Une secousse au poignet, l'excitation, le déclic. L ...Robert Mapplethorpe: The Photographs. Edited by Paul Martineau and Britt Salvesen. Los Angeles, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum.Mapplethorpe, who died of Aids-related complications at the age of just 42, is currently the subject of a major exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, which aims to strip away the controversy ...May 21, 2018 · Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) was a controversial American photographer whose work centered on still lifes (mainly flower images), portraiture, and figurative work which was sexually explicit and sensual. A retrospective of his work in 1989 led to a reexamination of government support of the arts. Apr 8, 2022 · Robert Mapplethorpe was raised in a quiet Queens neighborhood in a rigid Catholic family. Despite the fact that his father, a hobbyist photographer, had a darkroom in his basement, Robert Mapplethorpe had little enthusiasm for photography at a young age. Mapplethorpe graduated from high school in just a couple of years. Jan 14, 2019 · The photographer Robert Mapplethorpe preferred to lob bricks through the windows—it wasn’t always clear if he was trying to go inside or tear the place down. In 1989, the year he succumbed to AIDS, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., canceled an exhibition of Mapplethorpe’s work that included photographs of anal-fisting and ... A partir de cette période, Robert Mapplethorpe produit des œuvres qui sont à l’origine de sa notoriété. Parmi celles-ci, “The X portfolio” qui présente des séries d’images SM, une série de Lisa Lyon première championne du monde de Body building dans des poses statuaires et une série de portraits de célébrités des années 80. Mapplethorpe …It's just been announced that Robert Mapplethorpe: Perfection in Form, the first ever exhibition of a modern artist in the gallery where – in addition to David – Michelangelo's unfinished ...Jan. 17, 2010. Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe were both born in 1946, at a time when “the iceman” and “the last of the horse-drawn wagons” could still be seen on city streets. Ms ...Georges Braque. French 1900-2000. Follow. From Heritage Auctions, Robert Mapplethorpe, Lydia Cheng (1985), Platinum-palladium print, 23 13/40 × 19 1/2 in.Mar 8, 2016 ... Robert Mapplethorpe's posthumous art-world apotheosis, heralded this spring by a two-museum exhibition in L.A. and an uncensored HBO ...Robert Mapplethorpe, a photographer whose widely exhibited pictures combined classical beauty with sometimes shocking subject matter, died of acquired immune deficiency syndrome yesterday at New ...Diagnostiqué séropositif en 1986, Robert Mapplethorpe met en scène dans un autoportrait sa maladie et l'imminence de la mort...Nous reviendrons sur les traces de Robert Maplethorpe à New York, entre le Chelsea, Meatpacking district, la folie des années 70 et les terribles années 80. Un documentaire d'Elodie Maillot. Réalisation : Nathalie Battus. Mixage : Olivier Dupré. Documentation et recherche internet : Annelise Signoret. Lectures de Patti …Oct 27, 2017 · Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium, now showing at Art Gallery of New South Wales, showcases a broad selection of his work, from portraits of his contemporaries, including Patti Smith, Cindy ... 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Black Book. by. Robert Mapplethorpe (photographer), Ntozake Shange (Foreword) 4.27 avg rating — 100 ratings — published 1986 — 14 editions. Want to Read.Jan 24, 2019 · Robert Mapplethorpe, Candy Darling, 1973; four dye diffusion transfer prints (Polaroids), in painted plastic mounts and acrylic frame, 9.5 x 7.1 cm, each; 14.3 x 38.3 x 6.7 cm overall; ... Mapplethorpe est un film réalisé par Ondi Timoner avec Matt Smith (XI), Marianne Rendón. Synopsis : Biopic sur le sulfureux photographe américain Robert Mapplethorpe, mort du sida en 1989 et ...Robert Mapplethorpe once described photography as ‘the perfect medium … for the seventies and eighties, when everything was so fast’. In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, New York – as in many other …Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world and it has been for centuries. Robert Trent Jones is one of the most renowned golf course designers in the world, and his course...Mar 8, 2019 · Robert Mapplethorpe twists toward the camera, eyes defiant, back arched, his shock of chestnut hair standing on end. Below the laces of his black leather chaps, a bull whip snakes from the artist’s anus onto the floor and through the foreground toward us. The 1978 self-portrait (link NSFW) is among Mapplethorpe’s most shocking and ... Jan 15, 2010 · Mapplethorpe took the iconic cover photograph for Smith's first album, Horses, which came out in 1975. "The only rule we had was, Robert told me if I wore a white shirt, not to wear a dirty one ... Robert Mapplethorpe once described photography as ‘the perfect medium … for the seventies and eighties, when everything was so fast’. In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, New York – as in many other … Donec sollicitudin molestie malesuada. Nulla porttitor accumsan tincidunt. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Praesent sapien massa, convallis a pellentesque nec, egestas non nisi. Sed porttitor lectus nibh. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris blandit ... Robert Mapplethorpe. American Photographer. Born: November 4, 1946 - Floral Park, New York. Died: March 9, 1989 - Boston, Massachusetts. Movements and Styles: Modern Photography. , Straight Photography. , …Mapplethorpe described this shoot and Bourgeois herself as surreal: ‘you couldn’t, sort of tell her too much, she was just there.’ (Cited in Arena: Robert Mapplethorpe, 18 March 1988.) Louise Bourgeois worked as an artist from the 1930s until her death in 2010. Like Robert Mapplethorpe, Bourgeois often made art that was …Nov 30, 2023 · An Expansive New Exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe’s Lesser-Known Works. Miss Rosen, AnOther. 30 November 2023. Over the course of his brief but wondrous life, Robert Mapplethorpe was a seminal force in elevating photography to the realms of fine art. Guided by a clear vision, steely determination, and impeccable grace, he crafted images that ... Nov 2, 2016 ... Mapplethorpe understood that clothing is used to mark sexual identity and independence, and he used art to provide a context for erotic display. Robert Mapplethorpe established the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation on May 27, 1988, the year before his death, to protect his work, to advance his creative vision and to promote the causes he cared about. Serving as the first president of its board of trustees, he established two mandates: to promote photography as an art form in order to ... Robert Mapplethorpe (American, 1946–1989) was a photographer who is equally celebrated for his Classical, elegant still lifes as for his frank portrayals of sadomasochism and homoeroticism. Mapplethorpe’s subjects were often his friends and lovers—including several celebrities—captured in dramatically lit, carefully posed studio ... Robert Mapplethorpe is indelibly a New York artist. The X, Y, and Z Portfolios (published in 1978, 1978, and 1981, respectively) by American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–1989) summarize Mapplethorpe’s ambitions as a fine-art photographer and contemporary artist, reflecting the tripartite division of his mature work: … Robert Mapplethorpe was raised in Queens, a middle child in a Catholic family from which he was later somewhat estranged. He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn from 1963 to 1970, taking courses in painting, drawing, and sculpture, with no intention at that time of becoming a photographer. During the 1960s he and poet/musician Patti Smith ... For this exhibition of works by American artist Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–1989), the gallery has invited Ghanaian-born British editor Edward Enninful OBE to collaborate with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to present his singular vision of the photographer’s work. Pas de quoi fouetter un chat. Et pourtant, cette image de Robert Mapplethorpe (né à New York en 1948, mort à Boston en 1989) a fait couler beaucoup d'encre – et de bile.Robert Mapplethorpe. Photographe. Nationalité américaine. Naissance : 1946, New York (New York, États-Unis) Décès : 1989, Boston (Massachussetts, États-Unis) © Robert …Mapplethorpe, Robert 1946–1989. Robert Mapplethorpe was a visual artist most famous for his photography, which frequently dealt with homoerotic themes and multiracial sensuality. He was born in Queens, New York, on November 4, 1946, and died in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 9, 1989 from complications associated …History. Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–1989) moved to the fifth floor loft at 24 Bond Street, in what was still an industrial area in lower Manhattan, in October ...Controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) shocked the world with his images of bondage, gay-sex, female bodybuilders, and naked black men. …Robert Mapplethorpe also introduced and refined various techniques and formats, including 20″ x 24″ color Polaroids, photogravures, platinum prints on paper and linen, Cibachrome, and dye transfer prints. In 1986, Mapplethorpe was diagnosed with AIDS. The Whitney Museum of American Art presented the first major retrospective of his work in ...Begins September 10, 2016 In this major Canadian premiere, discover the work of the American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe – seductive and disturbing, ...Biographie courte de Robert Mapplethorpe - Robert Mapplethorpe est un photographe d'art américain, réputé pour ses portraits de nus en noir et blanc, en vogue à New York pendant les années 1970 et 1980. Il naît le 4 novembre 1946 à Floral Park à New York, et décède à Boston le 9 mars 1989 à l'âge de 42 ans des …« Robert Mapplethorpe curated by Edward Enninful », Thaddaeus Ropac, 7 rue Debelleyme, Paris-3e. Cet article a été publié dans L'ŒIL n°774 du 1 avril 2024, avec le titre suivant : Robert Mapplethorpe - En galerie. Facebook; Twitter; E-mail; Imprimer; Tous les articles dans Marché . Article. Le mobilier en acier de Maria Pergay le 26 mars 2024 - …May 21, 2018 · Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) was a controversial American photographer whose work centered on still lifes (mainly flower images), portraiture, and figurative work which was sexually explicit and sensual. A retrospective of his work in 1989 led to a reexamination of government support of the arts. May 28, 2016 ... Andes Hruby, whose family lived in the same New York apartment building as Robert Mapplethorpe in the early 1980s, recalls when, ...Robert Mapplethorpe, Fire is dominant in your natal chart and endows you with intuition, energy, courage, self-confidence, and enthusiasm! You are inclined to be passionate, you assert your willpower, you move forward, and come hell or high water, you achieve your dreams and your goals. The relative weakness of this element is the difficulty to step back …Robert Mapplethorpe (Auteur) Réédition reliée du Black Book de Mapplethorpe, hommage du photographe américain au corps de l´homme Noir. Composé exclusivement de photographies de nus masculins, cet ouvrage nous donne à voir des corps de toute beauté à la plastique fascinante. -5% livres en …Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) became famous, not to say notorious, in the 1970s and 1980s for his photographs of male and female nudes and for his depictions of gay, sado-masochistic sex. His exploration of hitherto hidden areas of life was very much part of the sexual liberation movements of that time. Now, nearly 30 years after his death, it is …Learn about this artwork by Robert Mapplethorpe in the Guggenheim's Collection Online.Edward Enninful. February 16 2024. Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. I was first introduced to Robert Mapplethorpe’s work by the stylist ...ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE. 1946-1989 'ANDY WARHOL', 1986. Silver print, printed 1986, dry-mounted to card. Signed, dated on the photographer's copyright stamp and titled, dated and numbered 2/10 in ink in an unknown hand on the reverse of the card. Mounted and framed. Image 58.5 x 48.7 cm (23 3/8 x 19 1/8 in.);ROBERT. (1946-1989) Figure singulière de la scène artistique new-yorkaise des années 1970-1980, Robert Mapplethorpe a mené de front une existence libre, parfois jugée scandaleuse, et la carrière d'un photographe à la fois provocateur et classique. Essentiellement constituée de portraits, de nus masculins et de nature …Cet article est consacré aux archives de l’artiste américain Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989), conservées depuis 2011 au Getty Research Institute de Los Angeles. Profitant d’une actualité chargée, cette étude revient sur le traitement d’un fonds archivistique permettant non seulement de reconsidérer son œuvre, mais …Robert Mapplethorpe is among the most influential visual artists of the late twentieth century. This major retrospective exhibition reexamines the arc of his photographic work from its humble …Robert Mapplethorpe papers and photographs, 1850–2011 (bulk 1970–1989) Generously donated by the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, the Robert Mapplethorpe Archive housed at the Getty Research Institute contains dozens of Polaroids, and more than 200 unique works of art, including drawings, hand …Robert Mapplethorpe: Subject Object Image review – penises, perfection and Patti Smith 3 out of 5 stars. This being Mapplethorpe, phallic imagery is in abundance – but do we really need a room ...Jul 29, 2023 ... THIS VIDEO: Robert Mapplethorpe was one of the most influential photographers of last century. He had an eye for balance, harmony, ...PRESS RELEASE To coincide with what would have been the 70th birthday of the iconic American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, Alison Jacques has invited acclaimed UK-based, German-born photographer Juergen Teller to curate an exhibition of Mapplethorpe’s work. Teller worked in collaboration with The …Robert Mapplethorpe was born in Floral Park, Queens, New York (1946). A strictly Catholic and suburban upbringing led him to leave home at age 16 and enrol at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, to study Advertising Design before transferring to Graphic Arts. His first solo exhibition, ‘Polaroids’ at Light Gallery took place in 1973, and …Robert Mapplethorpe Self Portrait with Cigarette (Autoportrait à la cigarette) 1980. Robert Mapplethorpe Ken Moody. 1984. Robert Mapplethorpe Jimmy Freeman. 1981. Robert Mapplethorpe Dennis Speight. 1983. Voir plus Voir moins ...The exhibition spans Mapplethorpe's fashion photography as well as stark portraits, nudes and still-lifes. By capturing unexpected subjects with a classical ...Jan 23, 2023 · "The Perfect Moment" was Robert Mapplethorpe's posthumous show, featuring roughly 175 black-and-white images the photographer had taken over the last 25 years of his life. Overshadowing the black-and-white photographs of nude males and various still-life shots were the pieces displayed from deep within the BDSM (bondage, dominance, sadism, and ... Robert Mapplethorpe s’est construit une vie et une œuvre entre deux mondes. Une vie en marge et loin de l’ordre établi où il est à la fois désincarné et hors du temps, où il est à la fois …Presented by the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation 2010. Reference AR01143 You might like. Left Right. Self Portrait Robert Mapplethorpe. 1983, printed 2005. Willem de Kooning Robert Mapplethorpe . 1986. Andy Warhol Robert Mapplethorpe. 1986. Francesco Clemente Robert Mapplethorpe. 1982. Doris Saatchi Robert Mapplethorpe. 1983 ...Robert and Patti were the luminaries of a sparkling, demonic downtown art world based at the Chelsea and at Max's Kansas City, the club of all clubs. Mapplethorpe worked in a variety of media but eventually settle on photography, becoming famous for his work in three modes: exquisite neoclassical photos of flowers, which earned money; portraits of the rich …Andy Warhol, 1986, by Robert Mapplethorpe. Warhol came from a modest background and had always been careful to ensure that he made money; first as a commercial illustrator, then as a fine artist. By contrast, Mapplethorpe had yet to establish himself as a photographer, and, seemed to revel in the stereotypical role …Robert Mapplethorpe a été le premier compagnon de la chanteuse Patti Smith. Dandy audacieux et figure du New-York bouillonnant de la fin des années 70, ce chasseur de beauté a mené une quête ...Controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) shocked the world with his images of bondage, gay-sex, female bodybuilders, and naked black men. …
A 79-minute film on the notorious photographer Robert Mapplethorpe by director Paul Tschinkel. This is a four minute excerpt from the full length documentary.... Time start
Robert Mapplethorpe began taking photographs in the 1970s with a Polaroid camera given to him by a friend. When he died in 1989 of AIDS, at the age of forty-two, he was considered one of the most important photographers of his generation, having gained a reputation as the avatar of a rigorous formalism stunningly wed to …Figure singulière de la scène artistique new-yorkaise des années 1970-1980, Robert Mapplethorpe a mené de front une existence libre, parfois jugée scandaleuse, et la … Robert Michael Mapplethorpe ( MAY-pəl-thorp; November 4, 1946 – March 9, 1989) was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs.His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images. Mar 29, 2016 · March 29, 2016, 7:20am. Share. Patti Smith's boyfriend, the gay New York artist who died of AIDS, the man who took a picture of fisting and called it art: However you know of cult photographer ... Apr 8, 2022 · Robert Mapplethorpe was raised in a quiet Queens neighborhood in a rigid Catholic family. Despite the fact that his father, a hobbyist photographer, had a darkroom in his basement, Robert Mapplethorpe had little enthusiasm for photography at a young age. Mapplethorpe graduated from high school in just a couple of years. Robert Mapplethorpe established the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation on May 27, 1988, the year before his death, to protect his work, to advance his creative vision and to promote the causes he cared about. Serving as the first president of its board of trustees, he established two mandates: to promote photography as an art form in order to ... Since 1948, Robert Half has matched skilled job seekers with organizations that meet their employment needs. Robert Half Staffing places IT professionals in appropriate roles based...Andy Warhol, 1986, by Robert Mapplethorpe. Warhol came from a modest background and had always been careful to ensure that he made money; first as a commercial illustrator, then as a fine artist. By contrast, Mapplethorpe had yet to establish himself as a photographer, and, seemed to revel in the stereotypical role …Jan 14, 2019 · The photographer Robert Mapplethorpe preferred to lob bricks through the windows—it wasn’t always clear if he was trying to go inside or tear the place down. In 1989, the year he succumbed to AIDS, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., canceled an exhibition of Mapplethorpe’s work that included photographs of anal-fisting and ... Jun 9, 2016 · Twenty-seven years ago, controversy erupted over Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs. It changed my life. In June 1989, I was 22, a newly declared art history major at Northwestern University ... In Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein,” the comparison between Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein revolves around their mutual sense of adventure and unquenchable desire for kno...Jun 12, 2019 · June 12, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. EDT. A Robert Mapplethorpe self-portrait is projected on the Corcoran Gallery of Art during a 1989 protest over trustees’ decision not to show his work. (Carol Guzy ... http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM4S2hGZDSE6SDV99NYsRDBN-A4lt3q-GFirst broadcast: 22 May 2013.Episode 3/3 Last of a three-part series which unlocks the...Robert Michael Mapplethorpe ( MAY-pəl-thorp; November 4, 1946 – March 9, 1989) was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images. His most controversial works …May 21, 2018 · Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) was a controversial American photographer whose work centered on still lifes (mainly flower images), portraiture, and figurative work which was sexually explicit and sensual. A retrospective of his work in 1989 led to a reexamination of government support of the arts. .