A revolutionary and, in many ways, still controversial master of late 20th-century photography, Robert Mapplethorpe (New York, 1946-Boston, 1989) is the focus of the retrospective Robert Mapplethorpe. Le forme del classico (lit. the forms of the classical), hosted at Le Stanze della Fotografia and curated by Denis Curti. With over 200 works, some being shown in Italy for the first time, the exhibition celebrates Mapplethorpe’s timeless art, with a special emphasis on the classical perfection of his compositions. The photographs exalt male and female bodies with references to classical sculpture, emphasizing the interplay of light, sensuality, and form. One section is dedicated to collages and ready-mades from the 1960s, experiments reflecting the artist’s exploration of identity, while his famous flower studies intertwine minimalism with poetic vision. The journey is completed by iconic portraits of Patti Smith, Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag, Truman Capote, and other legendary figures. Mapplethorpe’s lens reinterprets classical aesthetics, creating a bridge between past and present through images of rare intensity.
Robert Mapplethorpe. Le forme del classico is the first chapter of a trilogy dedicated to the renowned photographer. The series will continue in 2026 with two exhibitions: Le forme del desiderio (lit. The forms of desire) at Palazzo Reale in Milan, a comprehensive retrospective focusing on the boldest aspects of his work, and Le forme della bellezza (lit. The forms of beauty) at the Ara Pacis Museum in Rome, centered on classicism and beauty, featuring for the first time a selection of photographs taken in Italy.
