黑料不打烊

Marking 24 years of collaboration between Alison Jacques and The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, we are proud to present a solo exhibition of works by iconic American artist Robert Mapplethorpe (b.1946 鈥� d.1989). Widely acknowledged as one of the most groundbreaking photographers of the 20th century, Mapplethorpe鈥檚 unapologetic and provocative exploration of objectivity in his subjects challenged societal norms and pushed the boundaries of the times. While some of his photographs remain controversial, Mapplethorpe鈥檚 legacy is unquestionable, evidenced by work acquired and exhibited by major museums worldwide.

Mapplethorpe lived a life of contradictions, existing in two different worlds, from the uptown glamour, fame and intelligentsia of Manhattan, to the hedonism of Studio 54, drugs and open sexual activity, and the underground BDSM subculture. His vision was a relentless pursuit of aesthetic equilibrium through meticulous attention to detail, lighting, and composition. This brought a sense of formality and precision to his subjects, often portraying them as inanimate objects. Mapplethorpe stated in 1983, 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to make sculpture without having to sculpt. I鈥檓 trying to get the head in just the right spot where everything looks perfect. I鈥檓 looking for perfection in form鈥� It鈥檚 no different from one subject to the next鈥︹��

His portraits are a testament to the internal and external beauty of people 鈥� of friends, celebrities and those who pushed against the fixed conventions of their time. As Mapplethorpe stated in the 1988 BBC 鈥淎rena鈥� documentary, on one of the few occasions he spoke on film: 鈥淚 captured New York of its time鈥�.

Mapplethorpe would at times incorporate mirrors into his work. One of his earliest sculptures, Mirror (1971), allows the viewer to see their own reflection through a wire mesh, inviting them to imagine how they might have been captured by the artist鈥檚 camera at an imaginary photo shoot. A self-portrait hangs nearby, one of the only portraits in the exhibition not to reveal the sitter鈥檚 face, showing instead, the back of the artist鈥檚 head and leather jacket.

Mapplethorpe鈥檚 still lifes, flowers and portraits fall within the same tradition of the memento mori 鈥� they are reflections on the inevitability of death, but also celebrations of the potential abundance of life that precedes it. The fact that Mapplethorpe鈥檚 legacy is so renowned is testament to his enduring belief that beauty and 鈥減erfection in form鈥� can be found in any walk of life.