“I never liked photography. Not for the sake of photography. I like the object. I like the photographs when you hold them in your hand.” -Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe (November 4, 1946-March 9, 1989) never intended on being a photographer. Rather, he had planned on being an artist; receiving a BFA from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Soon afterwards, he took his first photographs using a Polaroid so that he could use them in his paintings. However, he did not consider himself a photographer.
Mapplethorpe’s shift to photography as his art medium accorded during the mid 1970’s. After acquiring a large format press camera, he began taking pictures of his wide circle of friends and acquaintances. These included artists, socialites, pornography stars, and members of the S&M underground. These images were quoted as being ’shocking for their content but exquisite in their technical mastery.’
During the early 1980’s, he shifted his concentration towards male and female nudes, flower still lives, and formal portraits of artists and celebrities. In 1986, he was diagnosed with AIDS which led to his death in 1989.
I consider Mapplethorpe to be one of my influences in photography. Both artist and photographer, his images he created were considered shocking and almost perverse by most viewers. He was truly a fine art photographer which is what I would like to do if I do anything with photography in my career. He hides nothing and hits the viewer with images from the dark side that most people do not ever see. I can only hope to reach his level of fame; preferably without having to die young from AIDS.
Due to the graphic nature of some of his work, I chose not to post some of my favorites. However, feel free to check out more about him at the following links:
http://www.mapplethorpe.org/index.html
http://www.artphotogallery.org/02/artphotogallery/photographers/mapplethorpe_01.html
