Robert Mapplethorpe

"I don't like that particular word 'shocking.' I'm looking for the unexpected. I'm looking for things I've never seen before … I was in a position to take those pictures. I felt an obligation to do them."

Robert Mapplethorpe, born 1946, takes photographs that at first glance seem very simple, but have much more depth to them upon a closer look. He broke into the art scene in New York by taking photos of the New York S and M scene, thus causing quite a stir. Most of his photographs are self portraits, male and female nudes, and close-ups of different flowers. His photographs focus on one central image, but that one image is very intricate and powerful. He became one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century because of his provocative images. He's worked with people such as Patti Smith, Andy Warhol, and Lisa Lyon.

Claudia Rotondo