Fig 1. Self-Portrait, 1971
Robert Mapplethorpe like Richard Avedon studied in Brooklyn New York during the swinging sixties. Brought up as a strict Catholic his fascination with this religions rituals and mystery's influenced his entire life and Work.
I first became aware of his work when I stumbled upon some of the photographs from a highly controversial exhibition Robert Mapplethorpe: The perfect Moment (1989). Included in this exhibition were images of erect black penises. This turned me off him for a wee while (pardon the puns). I had no desire to see photographs of erect black penises, I have to deal with one of these every morning of my life. I therefore viewed him as a photographer of interest to someone other than myself. However, during my research on the self-portrait brief for Ralph I was 'exposed' to some other works by him that I found completely beautiful. One in particular comes to mind. Fig 1 Self-portrait, 1971. Once again we have a penis on view, But the fascinating thing is the way he has layered and constructed our view of him. I feel as if I want to peel it like an orange and look inside. He is encased within a silk bag behind a wire mesh on a black background. The sensuality of the silk juxtaposed against the sharp harshness of the wire possibly represent the two extremes of his private and public self. His body has been cut up in two places which to my mind suggest the psychological and spiritual torment he feels as a result of his religious upbringing which was in direct opposition to the way he lived his life. Robert did not start off as a photographer but first started studying painting, drawing and sculpture. What really does it for me in this portrait is the way he has merged photography and sculpture so subtly and seamlessly together, to the point you hardly even notice that sculpture is involved. Combining these two mediums is something I want to incorporate in my own work. When I look at fig1. I see modern religious iconography. Whether this was Roberts intention, I don't know, but it very much works for me.
Fig 2. Self-portrait with Bullwhip (1978)
Before I finnish I would like to briefly highlight one of Mapplethorpe's most famous and ambitious attempts at cross referencing the codes of sadomasochism (if in fact that is what he is attempting to do here) Fig 2. Self-portrait with Bullwhip. In an online article by Richard Meyer (July 10th 1991) he states: "Within the history of art, one is hard pressed-indeed to recall another self-portrait, whether painterly or photographic, which represents its artist as anally penetrable." This is probably true, but it was not (as I had first thought) an original idea. It is merely a revision of a much older one.
see Fig 3.
Fig 3. 'Untitled' photographer unknown (1850-3000)
Is it possible that Mapplethorpe saw this image? I would bet £ that he did.
Fig 3. was posted on facebook 03/05/2011 with the caption 'ARTORPORN???' 04/05/2011 the image was forcibly removed (censored) by the 'Gaurdians' of facebook (WHO R They?) Is the ? answered. ?
Reading: 'On Photography' Graham Clark
Richard Meyer 1991 http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/Mappleth/MappPg3.htm
Robert Mapplethorpe
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Robert_Mapplethorpe.aspx
Images: Fig 1.
Fig 2.
http://artportraiture.blogspot.com/2010/05/robert-mapplethorpe-self-portrait-with.html
Fig 3.
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