Robert Mapplethorpe- Notes

Robert Mapplethorpe was born 1946. 

He lived in New York and was a catholic. When Robert was 16 he discovered photography, he became Americans most construal photographer. Mapplethore was best known for his photographs of flowers and homosexual image's. All his images were very natural and his photography was never posed.

His photographs that showed homosexuality was a way in which Robert used to express his own sexuality. Robert was called a pornographer because of the way his images included such intense nudity. However Robert just wanted to express himself and represent the gay community. 

All of Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs link back to him and his feelings in some way because he found that he could only express himself through his photography because the society he was living in wouldn't let him be who he wanted to be. Therefore this made his images very powerful because they were unexpected but his photographs did influence others. Many of Robert's photography involved race and sex as well as flowers and homosexual images, all Photographs can be found in museums. 

He believed in capturing the moment, that was his way of taking photographs and showing that certain moment because once it had gone it could never be re-created in the same way. 

Robert never spoke much about his work because he wanted the images to have mystery within them, make the audience think for themselves. However it is generally said that before a photographer even takes the image they know the meaning behind it.

Patti Smith was a singer, song writer and a life long friend of Robert's. However they did stop speaking for 7 years because of the way robert behaved. Robert's first portrait was of Patti Smith and then he began to start self portraits (Devil within).In order for Robert to reach the number one spot he targeted rich people and allowed them to have a free session  knowing that they will want to buy the end product. This was done in this was so that Robert could get further into the photography world. 

Business men were also a target for robert this allowed him to capture peoples personalities. The story behind Robert's photographer was to show the world he was living in at that period of time and show his life through his own images. 

Robert has nine people working for him and was desperate for money. His answer to getting money was to photograph flowers. Therefore the reason Robert started to photograph flowers for a period of time was just so he could make the money because flowers=money. 

Robert Mapplethorpe died from aids in 1999.