Reviews (7)

A thought-provoking collection of Mapplethorpe's sex picture
This collection of pictures is bound in a good quality cover and printed on a glossy paper of reasonable quality.

The images themselves are, in the main, sex pictures; S&M pictures; and a few portraits. The sex pictures are quite grotesque, concentrating as they do on the pain, blood, urine, bondage and so on. Whether you'll enjoy these depends on your view of the subject. Personally, I didn't find them uplifting or illuminating. The models were sullen, looked unhappy, or downright sad: but then I suppose if your... has been nailed to a plank you're entitled to be a little shaken!

The few portraits included in this volume were entirely unpleasing, and not representative of Mapplethorpe's better work. They offered no real insight ot the subjects, who remained cold and aloof, detached it seems from the process of making art.

This is a collection of many of Mapplethorpe's more 'sensational' and 'shocking' images. Whether you are affronted or not they do deserve inspection, if only to see what the 'conservatives' tried to ban. You might actually feel repulsed and agree that these pictures are not art but pornography.

One word: Ouch
You can always debate whether this book is "art" or not, but the fact is I am worried about what happened to some of the subjects. Helmut? Are you okay? I think Mapplethorpe wanted to shock, and he did, but I found the pictures had too much pain in them to be appreciated. I was deadened to what Mapplethorpe wanted to say, if he wanted to say anything at all. Ouch, ouch, ouch.

very good book
artistic and powerful, i recommend it

Art Or Trash? The Book Which Will Decide Your Vote!
Probably the most reviled book at Amazon because of its sexual explictness of the "out there" gay life led before AIDS, complete with bondage, S&M and even torture. Yet Mapplethorpe was artist enough to make many of the images compelling and haunting plus horrific yet eye/heart stopping. There are even self portraits of Mapplethorpe at the height of his own physical beauty before he too would be ravaged and killed by AIDS. I come down solidly on the side of the "This is art" contenders but caution you that this book is not for the rigid, the squeamish or minors. Mapplethorpe captured an extreme moment in time, when controversial sexual behavior came out to the public and shoved itself in the public's face, clamoring to be viewed and defying us to look away. I, for one, could not look away.

Another Posthumous success, whether you like it or not!
This is a fabulous collection of the very subject matter that turned the art world on end. These pictures, however explicit and extreme in subject matter push the more important issue of artistic freedom. Without this freedom we all suffer. Censorship has somehow told us that we can be harmed by the images we look at...more harmful is the forced conformity that ensues when creativity is left for others to decide what is or isn't done in the name of artistic freedom. Having left his flowers and portraits in their own respective niches, his artistic freedom rings clear as a bell with this collection. ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Mappelthorpe. Collected in this portfolio are images from one of the late twentieth century's master photographers. During the 1970's and 1980's, Robert Mapplethorpe created an elegant and provocative body of work - homoerotic images, floral still lives, pictures of children and commissioned portraits - that managed to combine often-outrageous content with an intensely controlled presentation. Whatever the subject of his photographs the aesthetic was always classical, composed; even chaste. Mapplethorpe's work strove for balance and perfection and established him in the top rank of twentieth century artists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

love at last
a stunning portayal of nudes. ... Read more

Book Description

Arthur Danto's assessment of the achievement of RobertMapplethorpeis a lucid and graceful introduction to a controversial artist by themostdistinguished philosophical critic of the arts in our time. While fullyaddressing the most public dimensions of Mapplethorpe's careerthebranding ofhis work as pornography and the legal and censorship issues thatsurround theexhibition of his photographsDanto's essay breaks with common responsesbyoffering a fascinating and deeply sympathetic account of Mapplethorpe'saesthetics. In Playing with the Edge, Arthur Danto returns the discussion ofMapplethorpe toa consideration of his artistic legacy. He refuses to retreat from thesexualcontent of Mapplethorpe's images, claiming that the content and theartisticcharacter of the photographs simultaneously invite and deflect thecharges ofpornography and together define the importance of Mapplethorpe's work.Dantodiscerns the images' uniqueness in the relation of trust between thephotographer and his subjects. Through a fascinating exploration of the relation of Mapplethorpe'simages tothose of other artists (Titian, Sherman, Winogrand, Cartier-Bresson,Golub)Danto presents a compelling argument for Mapplethorpe's enduringposition in thehistory of art, no less than the history of our times. FROM THE BOOK:"There is a tension at the heart of Robert Mapplethorpe'sart,verging on paradox, between its most distinctive content and its mostdistinctive mode of presentation. The content of the work is oftensufficientlyerotic to be considered pornographic, even by the artist, while theaesthetic ofits presentation is chastely classicit is Dionysiac and Apollonian atonce. Thecontent cannot have been a serious possibility for a major artist at anyprevious moment in history.It is particular to America in the 1970s, a decadeMapplethorpe exemplifies in terms of his values, his sensibilities, andhisattitudes." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Take care!
Danto is a perceptive and knowledgeable art critic whose text is worth the price of this book. The photos are well printed and carefully chosen to illustrate the essays. As an introduction for newcomers to Mapplethorpe this book is perfect. HOWEVER I purchased this book used on this website and found upon receipt two of the plates of the more controversial prints had been RIPPED, not cut, out of the book with great force, loosening the binding. If the jerk who did it ever reads this: Arthur Danto's descriptive talent almost compensates for the visual loss so you should have defaced the words as well. And shame on the bookseller who I believe knowingly sold this damaged volume without disclosure. My decision to keep this book comes from my bibliophilic heart- a book damaged in just this way epitomizes our society's heavyhanded sexual prudery. It's a collector's item, almost a sculpture. Now if the brute had only signed it...

Thoughful discussion of controversial body of work
The three essays here, along with 29 of Mapplethorpe's photographs, provide an invaluable opportunity to address the work in a reasoned and engaged manner. In some important sense, it is no longer possible to experience the work of Robert Mapplethorpe as directly as one might have in 1988, for now "the images have become celebrities," made notorious, even, by the legal and moral controversies that have so prominently surrounded the work. (5) More importantly, however, Danto attempts to answer the question of how to look at art, particularly difficult or "awkward" art such as Mapplethorpe's, without oversimplifying what is seen. (93)

In the main body of the book, the critical essay of the same title, Danto's seriousness avoids no questions, but thankfully acknowledges the ultimate futility of asking whether such work is art or pornography. This false disjunction results from the failure to hold together both form and content when looking at art. For Danto, art is the transcendence of form and content; it is both and neither, for it moves beyond both while in some sense preserving them in the work. Although Danto needlessly complicates matters with his use of the terminology of Hegel's dialectic to articulate this transcendence, his discussion is clear enough otherwise. This is best seen in his analysis of the respective testimonies of the legislators and the experts at the Cincinnati trial in which the Contemporary Arts Center and its director, Dennis Barrie, were ultimately acquitted of pandering obscenity and child pornography. Danto shows that while the legislators saw the content and ignored the form, the art experts for the defence saw the form and ignored the content. Though this resulted in the acquittal, Danto rightly emphasizes that for Mapplethorpe, the work was all about making pornography that was art; he "literally became a pornographer with high artistic aims." (78) In Mapplethorpe's words, a work can "be pornography and still have redeeming social value. It can be both, which is my whole point in doing it-to have all the elements of pornography and yet have a structure of lighting that makes it go beyond what it is." (89-90) This attempt to "go beyond what it is" both illustrates Danto's conception of art as transcendence and defines Mapplethorpe's work in particular as a "playing with the edge." (77)

Danto identifies trust as the constant attribute of Mapplethorpe's work which allows the form and content to remain together. "The moral relationship between subject and artist was a condition for the artistic form the images took. The formalism was connected to the content through the mediation of that moral relationship." (79) This trust is attested to by the formal quality of the images, in that they are titled with the subjects' names, posed and lighted in formal abstraction, and clearly constitute something the subjects have allowed, thus presenting the subjects as themselves, but not candidly, rather as they have agreed to be presented. (39) This is why acts of sex are themselves generally not depicted, for here the formalism cannot be maintained. In Mapplethorpe's work, however, there is always the danger of losing this formal control and going "over the edge." (79) It is not just a question of sex and the vulnerability inherent therein, but of danger and violence. For Danto, "a presumption that one's partner could be trusted . . . is the basic connection between sex and love." (41) He ties this trust to "the spontaneous human appetite for feeling danger and being protected at once . . ." (42) The combination of sex, danger, and violence, when contained by formalism through trust, is evident not only in the overtly sexual or violent works. Indeed, Danto is perhaps at his literary best in his discussion of these elements in relation to Mapplethorpe's flowers, fruits, vegetables, and finally the portraits of statues.

Danto's discussion of Mapplethorpe's work is frank, clear, and engaged. In neither oversimplifying the seriousness of the issues nor avoiding the questions raised by the work, he nonetheless leaves open its moral status. This is a great benefit. When it is a matter of "playing with the edge," different people will ultimately experience such an encounter differently. Indeed, this frames what may be the most problematic aspect of looking at Mapplethorpe's work: "It is supposed to be shocking. When morality changes so that it is no longer shocking, Mapplethorpe's intentions will fall away into incomprehensibility." (112) Although his assessment of the historical importance of this work--and that of the seventies in America generally--will surely not persuade everyone, the main achievement here is that Danto gives the reader solid handles by which to grapple with a difficult body of work. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A good collection showing a range of photo types.
This book is LARGE! Very large. It is approximately 12" square, like a vinyl LP record, and comes in a tough card outer sleeve or box, thus keeping the actual book itself free from damage. I don't know exactly how much it weighs, but I suspect that it must be 3-4 Kg, so if you order it warn your postman! The images are all B&W.

It is also large in terms of content, there being some 600-odd images presented. There is an intoxicating range of photographs spreading over many years of Mapplethorpe's work and many genres. I have always found his flower portraits the most inspiring and they are here in plenty although regrettably none in colour. Obviously there also the formal portraits, the pictures of large male genitalia, pictures of Patti Smith (who is she, anyway?), a large number of self portraits, and many others.

This is NOT a book of sex images although there are few that are 'close to the mark', rather a collection of more of Mapplethorpe's more artistic ventures. Of all, I was much struck by the simple (polaroid) image of a young man on page 25, simple called "Untitled, 1974".

There is a superb essay by Arthur C. Danto explaining much of the controversy surrounding this photographer, along with a very full catalogue of Mapplethorpe's work, his books, exhibitions, and a bibliography of those who have written about or included his works.

Very good value for money if you are a fan.

a well-rounded group
Admitting that I've never seen any of Mapplethorpe's work up close and personal I'll none the less say that the prints are beautiful. The huge format gives the photos plenty of room to breathe, as is sometimes a problem in art books. I spent a good while seeking a collection that included all of his favorite subject matter, both the pretty and the disturbing, and this one didn't disappoint. If you are too weak of stomach for some of the admittedly harsh erotic stuff (which includes mostly that of the "homo-" variety) then buy a collection of his flowers and women, but all of his work makes much more sense in context.

Worth the expense but a bit disappointing
While this handsome, exceptionally made collection of Mapplethorpe photography is certainly worth its cost, the editors have done a disservice to the artist by eliminating the framing effects Mapplethorpe created to off-set his own work, and thus sometimes robbing individual images of their ultimately intended impact. Worse still, these particular reproductions generally eliminate the sepia, blue-ish, or silvery tones of the original works and consequently misrepresent the artist's intent. Those who are established admires of Mapplethorpe will be impressed by this book; those who have not previously seen his work, however, will probably wonder what all the artistic fuss was about.

Respectful treatment of a great artist
A stunning monograph on one of America's greatest artists beautifully produced and bound by Random House. Classical form with revolutionary subject matter (eg, MAN IN POLYESTER SUIT,1980), whether a simple portrait of ROY COHN, or BRUCE CHATWIN, or a series on LISA LYON or the luminous, exquisite portrait of FRANCESCA THYSSEY 1981, or COCK 1982, or EGGPLANT, 1985, light and shadow (he appears to have worked exclusively in black and white)and composition are masterful and reveal Mr Mapplethorpe as a visionary artist. Athur C. Danto provides a useful and insightful analysis of Mr Mapplethorpe's contribution to the art, including the feminist perspective on his work as well as consideration of the problematic area of the use of children as subjects. A rewarding legacy of a great artist at a very reasonable price.

Disgusting and disturbing
How can anyone like this stuff? It's disgusting and disturbing? If you wan't close up pictures of male body parts, this if for you! ... Read more

Book Description

With Robert Mapplethorpe's full endorsement and encouragement, Morrisroe interviewed more than 300 friends, lovers, family members and critics to form this definitive biography of America's most censored and celebrated photographer. 32 pages of photos. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

CAPTIVATING!
Although Robert Mapplethorpe's artistic creations are undeniably controversial, his life story, as told by Patricia Morrisroe, makes for absolutely fascinating reading. I had more than once come across references to Mapplethorpe's work in the various gay fictions I'd been reading; and being totally unfamiliar with him (except for vague name recognition), I decided to find out more about him. Interestingly enough, both towards the latter half of his life and in the months following his death there were many events related in the book that I could recall having heard about in the news, but didn't make the connection with Mapplethorpe until this book. I think my mouth was agape throughout most of the time spent reading it; even now, recalling the descriptions of some of his photos and the detailed recounting of his lifestyle, I just sit and shake my head in amazement and probably shock. Robert Mapplethorpe, at his mother's request, received the last rites before he died. Being raised Catholic, I know what that should mean; but quite frankly, if there is indeed a heaven and a hell, I'm not sure in which place Robert Mapplethorpe is currently residing. A very informative book, and very, very absorbing reading!

a throughly well written book!!!
this booktotally captured my attention and got me completely engrossed in it . i didn't feel the pages turning at all.i read this book for college and i did in no way find it a chore to do so.i found myself waiting untill i could pick up the book to continue reading. well written.

Thoroughly enjoyable read.
This book is excellent and very readable.I imagine there is not much left to say about Roberts life.The research is thorough but the resulting book is vivid ,full of life and not at all dull.Everybody in the N.Y. art scene seems to make an appearance-Patti Smith is obviously also a big and constant background presence in the tale.Even if you don't rate Roberts work this book will be well worth reading.

Very entertaining!
This book was done so well, it kept my interest into the the personal side of Mapplethorpe. The book is in no way gross or tawdry. It reflects a realistic depiction of his relationships. You can actually see yourself growing older with him as the story progresses ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Mapplethorpe never concealed his interest in and passion for the human figure in all its sensuous manifestations. His celebrated black-and-white photographs from the later part of the 20th century reveled in the athletic body, the nude body, the exquisite body. This groundbreaking exhibition and its accompanying catalogue explore the relationship between the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe and Classical art, in particular through Mannerist engravings and sculpture. The pairing of works is among the first collaborations between the Guggenheim Museum and the State Hermitage Museum. Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition exemplifies the artist's rapport with the elongated and elaborate forms of Mannerist art, namely the study of the human body, highlighting the underlying classicism evident in the clarity and potency of all Mapplethorpe’s subjects as well as their explosive energy. The classical ideal was not only a poetic inspiration but also an ethical model and, in his creative quest, Mapplethorpe described photography as "the perfect way to make a sculpture." The potency of love and Eros, which electrifies many of the Mannerist works shown here, is articulated again in the work of Mapplethorpe. The vital anatomical forms of his portraits of models such as bodybuilder Lisa Lyons and the statuesque Derrick Cross find their roots in Antiquity, and here they find their mirror in the likes of Jan Harmensz Muller’s Sabine woman and Jacob Matham’s Apollo. The Hermitage’s superb collection of Italian painting and sculpture amply illustrates the course of Italian art from the Middle Ages to the 18th century and includes an impressive collection of Mannerist works. Approximately 50 Mannerist works from the Hermitage collection are paired with the same number of works by Mapplethorpe from the Guggenheim’s collection, are several Italian, French and Flemish bronze sculptures from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Essays by the curators are included: Addressing the return to Classicism at the end of the 16th, 19th, and 20th centuries, Arkady Ippolitov discusses the obsession that defines both the work of Mapplethorpe and the Mannerists. Germano Celant's text further explores the influence this 16th-century style had on Mapplethorpe’s artistic practice and sensibility, illuminating the artist’s interest in the study of pure form as well as allegorical imagery. Articulated in both word and image, the catalogue also traces Mapplethorpe’s complex relationship to the history of art more broadly, ranging from Neoclassicism to Surrealism, with comparisons to the work of Jacques-Louis David, Antonio Canova, Auguste Rodin, Man Ray, and more. A third essay by Guggenheim Curator Jennifer Blessing traces allegorical representations in 19th- and 20th-century photography, with references to Mapplethorpe’s oeuvre. Essays by Germano Celant, Jennifer Blessing, and Arkady Ippolitov. Hardcover, 10 x 11 in. / 208 pgs / 168 color. ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Mapplethorpe is best known for his intentionally shocking, often sculptural erotica and his exquisite minimalist floral images. His earliest and most frequent subject was himself, in various guises that celebrated his ego, his body, and his sexual preferences. Taken in the early 1970s, these 65 self-portraits, most previously unpublished, create a window into the soul of a complex artist, and present Mapplethorpe’s singular vision that helped shift the direction of late-20th-century art. As with all Arena Editions publications, this book features top-of-the-line production values, with beautiful papers, printing, and binding. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sexually Revealing the Self!
Robert Mapplethorpe was never afraid of revealing his true self and personal sexuality to the world. He shocked many people with his "in your face" attitude. He wanted the world to realize that we're all sexual beings who shouldn't be ashamed of our bodies or sexual desires. Life is for living, and he lived it to the fullest. There have been many books published about Mapplethorpe, but this volume is a very personal collection of his black and white Polaroid photographs he took of himself in the early 1970's. They reveal the many moods of Mapplethorpe, whether he was being erotic, sexy, dark & sinister, or very innocent. It's a valuable collection of photos that verge on the edge of excitement. There are about 65 black & white self-portraits here. Some are not as clear as others due to the technology of the period.

There is a very informative essay by Richard Marshall which is an invaluable addition to this book. A nicely produced book by Arena Editions, with quality paper, printing, and design. Robert Mapplethorpe was a man who's personal beauty and good looks, only enhanced his talented life as one of our most famous photographers. A handsome addition for anyone's collection.

Joe Hanssen ... Read more

Book Description

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 graphic and sometimes controversial subject matter.

Most of Robert Mapplethorpe's days began in the early afternoon, often by photographing flowers. Mapplethorpe used them to help focus his vision, centering and warming up for his commercial portrait work. The flowers also helped him to effect the transition to the more daring work, which he executed late at night.

Pistils reproduces 120 of these ravishing images of flowers, many of which have never been published. The full range of Mapplethorpe's virtuosity is displayed here--early Polaroids: exacting still lifes in black-and-white and color; and extremely rare, toned gravure prints. Not since Georgia O'Keeffe has an artist looked at flowers with as developed an eye as Robert Mapplethorpe. In them he discovered sex, death, redemption, and, always, beauty. These photographs go far beyond decorative allure to place him firmly in the pantheon of the photographic masters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is ultimate "becauty" itself.
I have seen his kinky photographs before seeing this book. So, I cannot believe and expect the beauty of all his still life pictures. They are just beautiful. Many people might think it is easy to take this kind of photographs, but it is not. How he deal with the light and the subject is amazing. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Her Infinite Variety
This book is one of the most interesting photographic studies of a woman that I have ever seen because it displays so many dimensions of the same person.You feel like you've moved past the external to understand the psyche of Lisa Lyon.Most books of female photography focus on one aspect of one female role, whether it be as fashion model, temptress, character etched in a face, tender of children, or as a beautiful icon.This book captures all those roles except the tender of children, plus adds quite a few others that are rarely seen.I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the full potential of the photographic art.

Before going further, you should realize that this book contains much female nudity of a challenging sort that would probably cause the images to exceed an R rating if they were a motion picture.

Most of the images were taken in New York City between 1980 and 1982.Ms. Lyon had won the first World Women's Bodybuilding Championship in Los Angeles in 1979.She refused to defend her title, stating that she was a "performance artist" who acts as a "sculptor whose raw material was her own body."Seeing her posing in these images makes me realize that aspect of her talent and interests.She and Mr. Mapplethorpe collaborated on what images to shoot, and enjoyed lively wrangles along the way.

The foreword by Samuel Wagstaff nicely summarizes the results.The images "escape the shackles of womanly stereotype."As the dust cover image shows, she could sit like a "lady" while showing her "muscle" at the same time.The joint effects are fascinating.As Mr. Wasgtaff points out, it's "a new freedom of tongue-in-cheek."One image has her standing totally bare wearing only an old-fashioned gas mask.

Ms. Lyon adds her own comment."The pictures are a little hard, like us."As a body builder, she can pose so that you see extreme muscle definition or she can relax in a dress and simply look like a fascinating fashion model.This flexibility adds greatly to the viewer's enjoyment.

In the essay by Bruce Chatwin, you can learn a lot about Mr. Mapplethorpe's work here."His eye for a face is the eye of a novelist in search of a character . . . ."". . . [H]is eye for a body that of a classical sculptor in search of an 'ideal.'"Mr. Mapplethorpe's female sitters "seem mesmerized . . . by his presence, and they are temporarily transported into a dream-world."

As for Ms. Lyon, she describes herself this way."My childhood was dark."Mr. Chatwin points out the wonderful contribution she makes to the images through her "histrionics, ability to sass, spoof, impersonation, parody, caricature, and charade."He feels that Mr. Mapplethorpe and she have created a "picaresque novel."Mr. Mapplethorpe was originally attracted by her "air of an Old Testament heroine."

I found almost all of the images to be outstanding.They are not named, so I will do my best to describe a few to give you a flavor for the work.

Emerging from the water, Fire Island, New York (this is a classic Venus pose);

Framed by foliage, Jamaica (this gives a feeling of full-bodied innocence in the Garden of Eden);

In repose on a raised cement curb, Jamaica (this gives a sculptoral feeling of looking at a Greek goddess);

Lifting torso on bench, Jamaica (this is a difficult muscle stunt that displays perfect form and strength, and gives the feeling of classic sculpture);

Silhouette with knife, New York City (this looks like a French cut-out);

Sitting on edge of shower, Jamaica (this feels like a woman in deep thought and is all about the mind, even though the body is nude);

Holding hand mirror wearing corset looking out, New York City (this one raises the question of, who am I?);

Flamenco dancer with her hand holding her skirt up to one side, New York City (this is an idealisation of the female identity);

Nude lit by flaming paper, New York City (this seems like a primitive woman celebrating the religious mysteries).

I found all of the many fashion shots to be delightful because they have a campy feeling.My favorite was the one of her wearing a fedora.

For comparison, I suggest you look at Boris Vallejo's fine photograpic studies of female bodybuilders for his illustrations.That will give you the full sense of how imaginative and wonderful these photographs are.

The question this collection poses is how to get beyond stereotypes.Often these preset notions are so grounded in our thinking that we are not even aware of them.As a result, we presume, assume, and misjudge.We project our fears onto what we see, and act accordingly.I suggest that you use this work to encourage you to project your love and caring instead.

Look beyond what you see now, to imagine what could be.Then act on the potential!

The "other" Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe is famous for his highly erotic male nudes.He also created a series of B/W photos of flowers in order to have pictures to sell that were not so erotically charged.His photos of Lisa Lyon, the firstfamous female bodybuilder, fall into a very different category. Mapplethorpe shot a few other muscular females in the late 1970s, but hismost extensive work was with Lisa.This was a very collaborative project -Lisa Lyon was a kind of "performance artist" who was veryinvolved in creating the images seen in this book.By modern standards,Lisa hardly looks like a bodybuilder at all (the so-called"fitness" women are more muscular) but she was very much apioneer in the field and Mapplethorpe was one of the few photographers ofthe day (another being Helmut Newton) to turn his attention to the muscularfemale body."Lady" is an interesting book of pictures,especially for (1) fans of Mapplethrope, (2) fans of Lisa Lyon, (3) fans ofthe muscular female physique - as well as those who simply like interestingcollections of photographs.

View it once and feel bored, then view it again and again.
I am a Mapplethorpe fan and, after viewing the Lisa Lyon publication the first time, I felt somewhat disappointed.Then, days later, I became curious as to what I may have overlooked in the pictures.Indeed.Even today, when I open the book to enjoy the work of Mapplethorpe, I sometimes notice something of interest I missed the last time.By no means, is Lisa Mapplethorpe's best publication, but, most assuredly, it is a good buy and one which will gather no dust

An eye opening exploration of the beauty of a strong woman
Robert Mapplethorpe is one of our century's most misunderstood, and important artists.His skill with the camera was matched only by his genius in deciding what, and how, to photograph.These images of Lisa Lyons are at times reminiscient of the work of Edward Weston, one the the all time great photographers of history, and they reveal the true beauty of feminine strength.Sadly, Robert was one of the casualties of the AIDS crisis, but his work lives on, and will change lives for the better for many, many years to come.Review by Edward Lynn, student of commercial photography, The Art Institute of Seattle ... Read more

Book Description

In linked pieces Patti Smith tells the story of a man on a journey to see the Southern Cross, who is reflecting on his life and fighting the illness that is consuming him. Metaphoric and dreamy, this tale of transformation arises from Smith's knowledge of Mapplethorpe as a young man and as a mature artist, his close relationship with his patron and friend, Sam Wagstaff, and his years surviving AIDS and his ascent into death. Rich in detail, it is filled with references to Mapplethorpe's work and shows the man beneath the persona. Set against photographs by Mapplethorpe, the work emerges as a hymn, a prayer, a fable wishing him Godspeed on his latest journey. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Simply Beautiful
What a wonderful book. Patti Smith's poetry is full with an intense personal feeling. I can only echo the comments of previous reviewers; this book shines a bright and pellucid beauty, both in its poetry and in the sublime photographs. Spending an afternoon with The Coral Sea took me into a serene, meditative, dreamy state. It has that quality. Something of it reminded me of Visconti's film, Death in Venice. This is a book I shall always have.

Gorgeous lush prose/poem
Patti Smith his come aways since HORSES. Or maybe not very far at all. Lurking beneath the poet/punk of the famous mapplethorp cover was a woman of profoundly mystical bent. In this, a fable and an elegy , for Robert as she writes in the dedication, Patti smith imagines a man searching for the southern cross, and a man dying. Each of the very short capters are accompanied by a mapplethorpe photograph. Profound, wrenching prose, which caused me to wince in pain and recognition, and ultimately, which delivers a coda to a life. This is amazing stuff, the kind of book that should be passed to loved ones wrapped in a ribbon of silk,, cherished as a gift. It is that good. It moved me like few books have in my life.Nothing in Patti smiths work had prepared me for the overwhelming beauty of this book. A staggering book of wonder.

Mythic, lyric tribute to Mapplethorpe
This slim volume is sprinkled with photographs primarily by Robert Mapplethorpe. They are well chosen to grace the poetic prose elegy by Patti Smith. The prose reminds me in a strange way of the writings of H.D. - the story of facing death is told in mythic terms - in terms of the sea, the search for the Hercules moth, the sighting of the Southern Cross as his uncle had promised, of Greek gods. Its strength is in the description of Mapplethrope as artist - fascinated by arranging, estranged from nature. The writing is not without flaws but it is interesting and telling.

Beautiful, haunting, touching.
By far the most effective writing in this book is that of the introduction. Patti Smith recalls her first and last meetings with Robert Maplethorpe, whereby she somehow manages -- by drawing upon both the similarities and differences of these two experiences -- to express the anguish and tragedy of his death. If there are any doubts about Smith's poetic ability, this brief, beautiful tribute to her friend should lay them to rest. The following pages contain some of Maplethorpe's most serene work, and Smith's writing is no less inspired. Lacking the pretention of some of her earlier work, these words are lucid, honest, heartfelt, and rewarding.

patti smith -an artist and her book
when i first heard 'horses' by patti smith,i thoght it was the most sublime artwork to inwade my little pretentious arty world;i thought it was better than sex, masturbation,writing or even drinking - my whole life had been transposed. yet, in years that came, patti had found away to transcend even the beauty of the actual physical existence she so celebrated w/ her life, her art, the people she loved;the little girl of vivid dreams growing into a youg poetess,into a visionary artist, a wife, a mother - the seclusion embraced by chosing domesticy only proppeling her to mature as an artist and a person; robbert mapplethorpe had been a dear friend who helped her to find her true calling - art;his gift had been taken from us all too soon by aids. she could not weep so she wrote her sorrow : about passenger m who, terminally ill, sets on his last journey, a pilgrimage to see the southern cross;in his last days he questions his life which had been beautiful and which he adorned w/ his gift of the perfect placement of things; it had not been a perfect life however- he was unable to find a balance beetween his desire for perfection and the actual life itself; thus he was dying alone, his last wish to see his ideal the southern cross: perhaps in his mind he had failed to be what he wished, but his passing away was beautiful and he left behind his art to light the way of those treading after him, us. pattis work tells us about the inner struggle of the artist, she describes robbert as an artist (no matter what else he might have been),inducing us to believe in the power and importance of art in our life; her book is a loving elegie to her friend, her beloved compeer, her unfettered joy. leena spite. ... Read more

Book Description

A memoir of the famous photographer by a former friend. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Many authors wrote this book by Fritscher
By chasing down lots of interviews, author Fritscher manages to have several friends of Mapplethorpe compose their thoughts of robert and his photographs. The beauty of this book is the multiple voices speaking which Fritscher takes the time to present to honor Mapplethorpe. He could have had the last word himself--after all, he had the book contract and was the man's sometime lover. This Mapplethorpe memoir is actually written by the following artists and personalities who Fritscher presents--AND LETS SPEAK IN THEIR OWN VOICES WHICH HE COLLECTED: GEORGE DUREAU, HOLLY SOLOMON, CAMILLE O'GRADY, REX, MARK WALKER, THE INCREDIBLE MILES EVERETT, EDWARD LUCIE-SMITH, JOEL-PETER WITKIN. (Yes, this book is scary, and it gets scarier as time goes by and our culture becomes more puritanical. It's also a good reference book of those times and events that are now so far back in the past.

Mildly interesting, mostly annoying and self-aggrandizing.
It's been about two years since I read this book, but its lingering effect is extreme irritation with the writer. Fritscher is clearly far more interested in himself than in Mapplethorpe, and boastfully uses the subject of his "biography" (term used charitably) as little more than a tool with which to broadcast his own (clearly exaggerated) influence on -- and involvement with -- the photographer. While I don't doubt that Fritscher played a small role in Mapplethorpe's life and art, I don't for a second believe that it was even a tiny fraction of what he'd like you to believe. Jack, you were one of a large pool of pornographers and one of an even more humongous population of RM's lovers. This bio reeks of little more than self-promotion and self-promoting fiction, and the fact that it was penned posthumously makes it even more disgusting and annoying.

Very interesting "read" that penetrates 70s art &sex world
Written as a tell-all memoir of pop culture, this book is amazing in what it tells us about lost lives in lost times. Real nostalgia. Actually, this book is loaded with "gay street credential." The fact that it has an index tells you the book seriously intends to record history's major and minor characters. Many gay pop culture books don't even bother to have an index which makes them useless. My litmus test in a book store is to first see if a book has an index, and then I skim it to see who's included and who's not, because that way I can judge the book's presentation and prejudices. Too bad Patty Smith doesn't write about Mapplethorpe and this period like his boyfriend did in writing this attack on American lying, political hypocrisy, and phoney art wackjobs. What is generously amazing is that boyfriend Fritscher seems to genuinely miss and mourne Mapplethorpe to the degree that he devotes 60% of the book to direct interviews with other Mapplethorpe art friends like George Dureau, Joel-Peter Witkin, and others who all speak for themselves.

Well written, but...
I don't know the man any better after reading this book than I did before. But I do have some compassion now for the lifestyle choices he and others made, and the logic behind those choices. He seemed driven to the self-destruction which he achieved.

The book was well written and personal to an uncomfortable extreme. I don't think it was a waste of time, but as a non-gay, non-avant garde person, I am happy to say that I don't feel included in the audience of this book.

I knew Bob Mapplethorpe
I knew Bob Mapplethorpe, and I remember the 70's scene, and if Bob had lived to see all this book of which he'd read a part, he'd have reviewed it with his immortal line, "If you don't like this book, you ain't as avant garde as you think." ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not quite the best available
While the photos are stunning, the presentation is a little rough. While most photos are presented with a blank page opposite there are a few photos that face other photos. This is a little jarring but worse is the two photos that are printed across the facing page. The spine break really detracts from a pair of beautiful photos.
Mapplethorpe was a genius with a camera and this book gives us many reminders of his skill. The publisher, however, lacks the artistic eye that would have prevented the distractions of a few photos that are damaged or badly placed by the layout. Minus a star because it could have been layed out better

just plain beautiful
Even though Mapplethorpe is better known for his controversial black and white nude photos, this book demonstrates his careful delicacy with not only the flowers but also the controlled lighting and the subtle colors. I have loved this book since the first time I leafed through it in studio photo class.

Stunning
Unbelivable intensity out of such simplicity. Here is Mapplethorpe's ultimate genius, astoundingly powerful from such simple set-ups. The colour, composition, lighting, choice of vases and flowers: All the basics but brilliantly done.
I saw Mapplethorpe's famous exhibition in Philadelphia just before he died,the exhibit that was banned at the Corcoran in D.C., then siezed for a while in Cincinnati. The flower photographs were dye-transfer prints, which made the colour surprisingly intense; some were almost 3' tall. People would stand for a long time in front of those, enraptured, sensing the work on several different levels at once. This book does a good job of bringing that to you. You can look at this book over and over again, put in on a coffe table to start converstaions or, after having not seen it for a while, rediscover it to be awed and inspired anew once again.
The edition I have is a 1990 paperback 12" in height; the pictures are presented one to a spread, so that there is a blank white page accross from the flower, which is a very classy touch, completely the correct way to do it.

Perpetual Spring Provides Creative Inspiration!
This book deserves more than five stars. It is the finest set of flower photography that I have seen before, and presents more dimensions of what a flower can mean that I would have thought possible.

I took a course of creativity from author Dan Wakefield a number of years ago. One of the many excellent exercises we did was to take a flower and write as much as we could about what we observed during an hour. At the end of the time, I was bursting with new ideas for all kinds of things. Try it sometime!

Seeing this marvelous book by Robert Mapplethorpe (that would earn a G rating if it were a motion picture) reminded me of that exercise. I had the same feeling as I examined each image, and had a great desire to start taking notes.

The essay, A Final Flower, by Patti Smith helps put these great works in perspective. Mr. Mapplethorpe found it "as easy to hurl beauty as anything else." "He came, in time, to embrace the flower as the embodiment of all the contradictions reveling within [him]." He was inspired by "their sleekness, their fullness, Humble narcissus, Passionate zen." As such, he found flowers to be "worthy conspirators in the courting and development of conflicting emotions."

The images themselves evoke more complicated views than any others of flowers that I have seen. The closest to his style is that which Georgia O'Keeffe used in her painings. But there are more dimensions to these photographs.

For example, a single flower may evoke a part of a human body, but it will also stimulate an impression of a human emotion contained in the flower image separate from the body part. Further, the shadowed background behind the flower will add movement and context that greatly expand the meaning of the overall image. Mr. Mapplethorpe also displays a genius for using varieties of color together to express complicated rhythms that make looking at the images a lot like listening to a drum beating a distinctive tattoo. He also employs juxtaposition (to make one thing appear to be part of something else), allusions to emerging and receding, and contrasts to great effect.

The technical quality of the images is superb. The lighting, detail, and composition of each image are precisely as must have been intended. Each image is an exquisite gem. Although I liked all of the images, some appealed to me more than others. Here are my favorites:

Irises, 1988; Rose, 1989; Orchid, 1977; White Longstem Flower, 1982; Orchids, 1982; Orchid, 1986; Flowers in a Vase, 1985; Orchids, 1987; and Poppy, 1988 (second one). I would like to specially praise the astonishing Calla Lilies (1985-1988) for their amazing beauty and inspiring qualities.

Where else can something simple display so much important meaning and complexity about nature and the viewer? I suggest that you consider looking at leaves, rocks, and feathers as possible additional sources of inspiration. Try your hand at arranging tableaux that use the vocabulary of Mr. Mapplethorpe's work here.

May your heart and mind be suffused with the wonders around you . . . creating a meditation inspired by nature!

Flowers as themselves and other worldly things
This is a book of pictures that are technically breathtaking as photographs and emotionally moving as pictures. The images evoke deep feelings but whether the artist's feelings in making them are the same as mine in viewing them, I cannot tell. They are far too subtle for that.

These are photographs of flowers. As photographs, they are amazing. But the real worth of the collection is that the pictures he created are of other worldly things.

I have lots of books of photographs and of paintings, too. I have none that I think exceeds Mapplethorpe's achievements here. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Perfect Light, Perfect Darkness: An Astonishing Artist
Born in 1945, Robert Mapplethorpe studied drawing, painting and sculpture at the Pratt Institute--and then quickly evolved into one of his era's foremost photographers, first experimenting with found-photograph collages and Polaroid photography, but soon moving to significantly more sophisticated work in which he experimented with numerous photographic processes. Along the way, he also developed a very distinct style, an eye for shadow and light and ambiguity of material that lent his work an edge that was uniquely his own. Between 1973 and his death in 1989, Robert Mapplethorpe's work would appear in well over 200 one-man and group shows, many of them in highly prestigious museums and galleries, throughout America and Europe.

In spite of his considerable acclaim and influence in arts circles, Mapplethorpe remained largely unknown to the public at large--until the very eve of his death in 1988, when the Institute of Contemporary Art of the University of Philadelphia mounted a major overview of his work. Named "The Perfect Moment," the exhibition was funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts--and when the exhibit arrived in Washington D.C. it provoked a firestorm of controversy. Led by such conservatives as Senator Jessie Helms and conservative religious leaders as the Rev. Wildemon, The Perfect Moment was roundly condemned, and the National Endowment for the Arts was attacked for having funded the exhibition in the first place. Ironically, in consequence of this condemnation, The Perfect Moment would go on to become one of the most seen and most profitable arts exhibitions in the history of the United States. And Robert Mapplethorpe would become a household word.

In some respects Mapplethorpe had always been a controversial artist. The great bulk of his work consisted of still-life flower studies, portraits, and nudes--but it also included a host of images deemed flatly pornographic, images that showed explicit heterosexual and homosexual behavior and often including sadomasochistic activity, images that were deliberately designed to both shock and titillate. And indeed, these photographs--many of them dating from more than thirty years ago--still have considerable power.

But the power of Mapplethorpe's photography is not mere shock value, and even less is it is titillation. It is in the very fine line he walks in presenting his work, a balance between dark and light that ultimately reads as a balance between life and death. His photographs present a world in which sordid, occasionally grotesque material acquires beauty--and in which the beauty of a flower, the beauty of the human form seems captured on the brink of annihilation and becomes all the more beautiful for the sense of its impending fall. Like some of it, all of it, none of it, one thing is clear: Mapplethorpe had genius, and he was adept at communicating through the power of his images.

This is the official catalogue of "The Perfect Moment" exhibition, featuring essays by Janet Kardon, Ray Larson, David Joselit, and a dedication by Mapplethorpe's longtime friend and rock artist Patti Smith--all of which serve to broaden one's grasp of Mapplethorpe's vision. But most importantly, the book includes photographs. The flowers, the faces, the bodies, the still-lifes, and yes, the controversial photographs as well, over seventy in all. And each, in its own way, is extraordinary.

Robert Mapplethorpe is not, perhaps, an artist whose work you would like to give your fundamentalist Great Aunt Edna--unless, of course, you are hoping to drive her into heart failure and inherit her estate. But he is an artist who looks into both the supreme beauties and the darkest fears of the world... and who tells you in turn that you may look too. Astonishing and memorable.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer ... Read more

Book Description

Famous for his early 1970s leather scenes with an explicitly homosexual symbolism, Robert Mapplethorpe’s work became more varied over the years. Along with his heavy pornographic and sadomasochistic images he also devoted himself to classical genres, such as portraits, nudes, flowers, and still lifes. In the 80s, his work stood for the contemporary psycho-erotic life-style. Like a sculptor he modeled with light the bodies, plants, and objects he portrayed and stylized them into classic sculptures of vivid sensuality. A fascinating combination of strength and grace, his work walks a tightrope: it is hard and romantic, calculating and full of abandon, introverted and extroverted, intimate and theatrical. ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New Statesman (1996), published by New Statesman, Ltd. on January 17, 2005. The length of the article is 1407 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Boys on film: David Hockney has taken a break from painting to select a show of photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe. He talks to Charlie Scheips about his old friend and their shared interest.(arts)(Interview)
Author: Charlie Scheips
Publication: New Statesman (1996) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 17, 2005
Publisher: New Statesman, Ltd.
Volume: 134Issue: 4722Page: 38(2)

Article Type: Interview

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Far from Mapplethorpe's Best
I was disappointed by the 86 images of nudes, fashion shots, and portraits in this book. Although they are technically wonderful, well-lit, and beautiful, they lack a good grasp of the inner reality of the subjects. The contrast between this book and his remarkable work in Lady: Lisa Lyon and Flowers could not have been greater.

This book contains modest nudity of the sort that would require an R rating for a motion picture. None of the challenging images that made Mr. Mapplethorpe famous are present here.

In the annotation by Joan Dideon, Mr. Mapplethorpe is quoted as saying "You don't know why it's happening, but it's happening." Too little was happening in most of these images. The exceptions were the girls, who clearly expressed their personalities in an unguarded way. Most of the models are "well known, figures of considerable celebrity or fashion or achievement." As such, "they are professional women, performers before the camera." I think that as such, they were able to show just what they wished to reveal about themselves. So you get a mask, rather than a person. Mr. Mapplethorpe says about himself that his work is "very symmetrical." I agree, and while that works well with his flower portraits (in Flowers) that symmetry just seems a little dull here to me. Ms. Dideon also points out that "the idealization here is never of the present." Certainly, you will see that he is inspired by classical Greek and Roman ideas of female beauty.

Here are my favorites: Lydia Cheng, 1985; Sonia Resika, 1988 (p. 18); Brit Hammer, 1988; Lara Harris, 1987 (p. 27); Isabella Rossellini, 1988 (p. 33); Caroline Herrera, 1988; Alexandra Ellis, 1988; Blake Finkelson, 1988; Eva Amurri, 1988 (p. 58); Susan Sarandon and Eva Amurri, 1988; Brooke Shields, 1988 (p. 73); Stella Goodall, 1984; Diandre Douglas, 1988; and Dolphine Neil-Jones, 1987.

As you can see the timing of these images is very similar, so you get a compressed sense of female beauty reflecting a moment in history. In a way, it's like a candid snapshot of beauty, rather than a cultural panorama.

After you finish this book, think about another thing Mr. Mapplethorpe said, "I'm looking for the unexpected." Where can you find and use the unexpected to expand your vision?

Stretch to the limits of imagination, rather than being bound by the vanity of the ego.

Some Women
Though controversial and best known for his erotic photography of male nudes, Some Women shows the depth and resounding mastery of Mapplethorpe's creativity and artistic talent. This is a compilation of B&W photographs of women of all ages: children through seniors. Some are fashion models, nude torsos, others unknown friends, some famous actresses (including: Sigourney Weaver, Susan Sarandon, Melanie Griffith, Dianne Weist, Grace Jones and Kathleen Turner to name a few.) Each photographic plate is resoundly crafted and displayed highlighting the complex and compelling beauty of women. ... Read more