ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE RESPONSE

I thought that the work of Robert Mapplethorpe was really interesting. I think that there was controversy surrounding his images because of the sexuality that he portrayed in his photographs. During the 60s and 70s homosexuality and sexual kinks were not a part of mainstream media or the art world. We think about how popular nude images of women are in art and how much respect they gained during that same time period. Mapplethorpe explored a new area of sexuality and his photographs tethered on the line of pornography and art in a shocking way. I think because people are so used to seeing the traditional male-gaze in photography, they were uncomfortable by this different view of sensuality and sex appeal. I personally really like his style of art because it encourages the viewer to feel something, whatever that may be. His work isn't safe or comfortable to look at and that is what makes it so powerful. I did think it was weird that he killed his pet monkey for an art project? They kind of skipped over that in the documentary but that was definitely not my idea of art or creative expression.