The Perfect Medium
Robert Mapplethorpe is among the most influential visual artists of the late 20th century. This major retrospective exhibition reexamines the arc of his photographic work from its humble beginnings in the early 1970s to the culture wars of the 1990s. Featuring portraits, nudes, still lifes, and the controversial X Portfolio, the exhibition explores Mapplethorpe’s studio practice and the creation of his foundation, which has shepherded his legacy into the 21st century.
Drawn from the landmark acquisition from the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, two complementary presentations, one at the J. Paul Getty Museum and another at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, highlight different aspects of the artist’s complex oeuvre.
Preview the exhibition below | The top five exhibitions opening this week
Tulips (1978), Robert Mapplethorpe. Image courtesy of Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Jim, Sausalito (1977), Robert Mapplethorpe. Image courtesy of Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Andy Warhol (1983), Robert Mapplethorpe. Image courtesy of Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Lydia Cheng (1987), Robert Mapplethorpe. Image courtesy of Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Melody (Shoe) (1987), Robert Mapplethorpe. Image courtesy of Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
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