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Robert Mapplethorpe

Views on the work and legacy of late-20th-century photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

I Defended Mapplethorpe in the Trial that Drew the Line between Art and Obscenity
Joe, N.Y.C., 1978, Robert Mapplethorpe. From The X Portfolio. Selenium toned gelatin silver print mounted on black board, 7 11/16 × 7 11/16 in. Jointly acquired by the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; partial gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation; partial purchase with funds provided by the J. Paul Getty Trust and the David Geffen Foundation, 2011.9.41.6. © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation

I Defended Mapplethorpe in the Trial that Drew the Line between Art and Obscenity

Art, race, and sex.

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My Internship in the Culture Wars
The Perfect Moment: Ajitto, 1981, Robert Mapplethorpe. Gelatin silver print. Jointly acquired by the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, with funds provided by the J. Paul Getty Trust and the David Geffen Foundation. © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Making Waves: The Thinker, c. 1930, Hiromu Kira. Gelatin silver print. Collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection, gift of The Annenberg Foundation and Carol Vernon and Robert Turbin

My Internship in the Culture Wars

A fateful summer in Washington, D.C.

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Coming in 2016: Robert Mapplethorpe
Thomas, negative 1987; print 1994, Robert Mapplethorpe. Gelatin silver print, 19 3/16 x 19 3/16 in. Jointly acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, with funds provided by The David Geffen Foundation and The J. Paul Getty Trust. The J. Paul Getty Museum, 2011.7.31. © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation

Coming in 2016: Robert Mapplethorpe

A major retrospective of the artist’s work is coming in March 2016.

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