Robert Mapplethorpe: Sex, Censorship, Sacrilege
ARTH 3702: Topics in Contemporary Art – Histories of PhotographyUniversity of Denver
Introduction
Throughout contemporary art history, painters, photographers, and sculptors alike have consistently strived to push the envelope of what is acceptable to portray in their work. Specifically, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe's artistic body of work created in the 1970s and 1980s broadly captures a subculture many folks did not wish to be exposed to: the queer underground S&M scene in New York City. In his photographing male nudity, sex acts, and graphic sadomasochism practices, Mapplethorpe not only documents a previously apocryphal group of individuals but also walks the fine line of obscenity in contemporary art. Throughout my research, I investigate prominent themes and motifs that Mapplethorpe explored throughout his career: self-portraiture (the self), the black male nude (the other), and the X portfolio (the culmination of themes). Although he is most well known for his portraits documenting the queer underground scene at large, the narrowing of focus to the three above subcategories can provide ample grounds for praise and critique. In doing so, I am looking to investigate one central question. What is the line between pornography and art? Under this question, I am also looking to see if pornography and art can coexist in the same space or if once an artistic work crosses the threshold into pornography, it is no longer considered fine art.
Moreover, I seek to create throughlines with what I am creating as a part of my distinction body of work that focuses on queer identity as it relates to religion and spirituality, specifically regarding my Catholic upbringing. Mapplethorpe is an artist I have been drawn to for some time, and I hope that my investigation into the breadth of his work can guide me in my studio practice.
Methodology
To approach my research, I first synthesized a list of Mapplethorpe's photos I am familiar with from taking a class on Art and Politics in the 1980s. This specifically led me to the X Portfolio and censorship that Mapplethorpe faced in his retrospective show The Perfect Moment. From there, I familiarized myself with Mapplethorpe's biography and greater portfolio of work from the Mapplethorpe foundation website. I then searched for articles from notable sources such as the New York Times and the Washington Post that analyzed Mapplethorpe's work and offered critiques from a contemporary perspective. Finally, I looked at collections from the Guggenheim and the Sotheby's listing for the X Portfolio to see the entire progression of images and the words they had to offer on them. Rather than using each article's criticisms as absolute, I have interpreted them in a way that allows me to draw my conclusions and answer my primary question of when the obscene becomes too obscene.
Biographical Information
Robert Mapplethorpe was born in 1946 in Floral Park, Queens, New York. When asked to describe his childhood, Mapplethorpe responded, "I come from suburban America. It was a very safe environment and a good place to come from in that it was a good place to leave." From there, Mapplethorpe enrolled at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 1963, where he studied traditional artistic mediums of painting, drawing, and sculpture. He would also experiment with mixed media and collages from magazines and images he had on hand. In 1969, he began living with Patti Smith, who would ultimately become a close friend and muse for his early photographic work. Following his initial photography of himself and his peers, Mapplethorpe turned to the S&M underground in New York throughout the late 1970s. Looking further, Mapplethorpe received an AIDS diagnosis in 1986. His first significant retrospective went live at the Whitney Museum in 1988, one year before his death in 19891.
Self-Portraiture
It was in 1970 that he received his first polaroid camera from filmmaker Sandy Dailey and integrated photos and those cut from magazines into his erotic-themed collage work. Despite his ever-growing interest in the queer scene and artistic nude, Mapplethorpe consistently photographed himself. At their genesis, Mapplethorpe's self-portraits candidly capture the artist in a more experimental style while simultaneously exhibiting his technical prowess over the camera. For example, a polaroid self-portrait from 1974 crops Mapplethorpe at the neck to show his arms extended over the head2. Though innovative in composition, the polaroid functions as a prime example of Mapplethorpe's ability to create stark black-and-white contrast in his images to put the focus solely on the subject. In his early photos, it is easy to see the influence of Man Ray in the way both photographers display an elegant, yet dramatized version of the subjects depicted and focus on the "rawness" and spontaneity they can find in the photo.
Self-Portrait, 1974, Polaroid
Later in his career, specifically in the early 1980s, Mapplethorpe revisited self-portraiture. Rather than as a tool of precision and technical skill, Mapplethorpe's later self-portraits capture the schism felt in gender identity as a queer man and call into question how gender expression and the general nature of duality can manifest in the individual3. When looking at his 1980 self-portrait in partial drag and comparing it to a 1982 portrait in full leather, the viewer can see the two personas that Mapplethorpe is presenting and how they are epitomize the feminine and the masculine. In each photo, he was dawning gender and gender stereotypes in incredibly taboo ways at the time. However, rather than explicitly playing a character, Mapplethorpe successfully subverted gendered expectations and allowed the audience to draw a critique and react for themselves4. The subversion noted is what garnered Mapplethorpe such positive feedback for the portraits. Instead of capturing the typically thought of as crude and gritty, he spotlights the aspects of inherent queerness that both he and his photos comment on how the masses often overlook gendered constructs.
With the vast majority of Robert Mapplethorpe's self-portraits, the question of obscenity is not presented. As I see it, the self-portraits act as a segway into Mapplethorpe's later, more explicit photographic endeavors. When looking at earlier polaroid portraits, we can see how Mapplethorpe began to think about queerness and its relation to both the self and the other: a duality often seen in the breadth of his work. Rather than separating these early images from the rest of Mapplethorpe's photographic lexicon, I pose that the initial theme of self-figuration can provide us an extra lens to look through when analyzing Mapplethorpe's images, especially in the case of his later, more provoking work.
Self Portrait
1980
Self Portrait
1982
The Black Male Nude
Following his initial stint of portraits and the Polaroids show in 1973, Mapplethorpe turned to a lesser-publicized group to be his next series of subjects: the queer S&M culture of the New York underground. Within this subgroup, Mapplethorpe specifically fixated on photographing black men. Rather than photographing these subjects in the explicitly sexual fashion of his other S&M photographs, Mapplethorpe specifically posed the men nude and in the style of classical Grecco-roman sculptures5. For example, the 1982 image of Derrick Cross shows the model flexing in a position used by classical sculptures to enhance athleticism and masculinity. Additionally, the photo's composition crops the model only to show the body and completely obscure the face. In one interview, Mapplethorpe even claimed, "If I had been born one or two hundred years ago, I might have been a sculptor, but photography is a very quick way to see, to make sculpture."6 From this response, we as the audience can conclude that Mapplethorpe put his models on a pedestal and further leaned into his search to find perfection in form – a notion that would later create critique around who and what he is allowed to confidently capture from the perspective of a privileged, white, queer man.
Derick Cross, 1982
Although the classics-inspired photos of black men were championed and defended by the white art world at the time of their creation, other folks whose voices were not often amplified took issue with the snapshots. Whereas some critics found Mapplethorpe's photographic library obscene or vulgar in the subject, Black, queer men have criticized Mapplethorpe for exploiting race and power dynamics at little to no benefit of the model7. Some have claimed that Mapplethorpian photographs of the black male nude do not highlight physical perfection but instead call out the (stereotypical) differences between the black and white nude. It is a fixation and leans closer to sexual racism as more contemporary scholarship and critique are released.
In the case of Mapplethorpe's photographic effigies of nude black men, the line between pornography and artwork begins to be walked. On the one hand, the average white male purveyor (much like myself) stands in a place of privilege when applauding the nudes for their technical mastery and visually striking compositions. On the other hand, the images are almost grotesque and distasteful, especially in a contemporary time that centers on intersectionality and the amplifying of marginalized voices. One critic has gone on to say that "Mapplethorpe appropriates the conventions of porn's racialized codes of representation, and by abstracting its stereotypes into 'art,' he makes racism's phantasms of desire respectable."8 Through this lens, we can claim that Mapplethorpe romanticizes and nearly covets the black body as his nude images capture a lifeless, faceless surrogate for the ideal self.
The X Portfolio and Censorship
The X Portfolio, which consists of 13 photos taken between 1977 and 1978, functions as a culmination of all of Mapplethorpe's thematic throughlines in his career up to its point of creation and has been considered the most provocative collection of photos taken in the contemporary period. The 13-photograph body of work begins with Cedric, NYC (1977): an overhead shot of the model highlighting the technical mastery Mapplethorpe was known for exhibiting and the skilled cropping of compositions to create a more dynamic photo. As the portfolio progresses, the images grow more vulgar while exhibiting everything from erotic male nudity to arcane sadomasochistic acts. For example, Jim and Tom, Sausalito (1977) depicts one man urinating into the mouth of another in a way that can only be described as unnerving yet intriguing.
The highlights of kink culture continue with Joe, NYC (1978), where the model poses in a full leather suit and calls into question anonymity in the queer underground space while simultaneously showcasing a part of identity that is often looked over for the sake of remaining "decent." Finally, the portfolio ends with a Self Portrait of Mapplethorpe with a bullwhip up his anus: a photograph that combines his interest in capturing the self with his attempts to capture a constantly shoved subculture underground. The images in the portfolio mark a major shift in the nature of Mapplethorpe's practice, going from more spontaneous and experimental to meticulously staged and visually striking9. It is almost an upgrade of sorts that would cement Mapplethorpe as executing his photos intentionally and maturely while evoking a factor of shock. The images seem to burn with sex while remaining ice-cold in stylization10.
Despite its mass critical acclaim from the queer art community, the portfolio was met with heavy pushback from conservative politicians. For part of his traveling retrospective, the Perfect Moment (1989-1990), Mapplethorpe included images from the X portfolio as they had grown to become a series he was well known for. Specifically, at the Cincinnati's Contemporary Art Center stop, director Dennis Barrie refused to shut down the retrospective after a national call to do so. This ultimately led to a police raid of the institution, seizing seven works, and the CAC being charged with obscenity. Five of the seven photos taken by officials were from the X Portfolio. Barrie and the CAC were later acquitted of the obscenity charges in October of 1990, and the courts ruled that Mapplethorpe's photographs, although incredibly explicit, do not lack artistic merit1112. The instance of the Perfect Moment show called into question the National Endowment for the Arts due to a federally funded project receiving such a large amount of public backlash. Both during the show's run and later critique, The Perfect Moment and the X Portfolio were claimed to be lightning rods for artistic freedom, given the persistence to show them.
This major series of work seemingly erases the line between porn and art. The two blur into each other to the point that they are indifferentiable. Despite this, the vulgarity exhibited in the X Portfolio has a place in the art world. In an ArtNews interview in 1988, Mapplethorpe stated, "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."13 Although the shock factor is inherent to the photos in the portfolio, they, at their roots, capture what Mapplethorpe saw in front of him. Whether meticulously staged or candidly caught, the photographs ooze with artistic liberation: a sentiment that many artists attempt to internalize while still falling victim to the guidelines (invisible or concrete) that art world institutions impose.
Conclusion
When looking at Robert Mapplethorpe's body of photographic work from the 70s and 80s, the average person unfamiliar with his art would be immediately taken aback by the acts often portrayed. However, the technical beauty of each photograph would likely entice the viewer's gaze, even if they do not wish to analyze the picture. In my opinion, the attempted suppression of Mapplethorpe's work not only violates individual creative license but also further attempts to demonize queer narratives and identity in art, especially in an era where the connotations of HIV/AIDS already plagued the LGBTQ+ community. Although not all of Mapplethorpe's images are overtly erotic, the queer undertones (and overtones) are intrinsic.
The interrogation of pornography versus art is challenging to find a definitive answer to. However, when looking at Robert Mapplethorpe's critique from both ends of the spectrum and the images in a contemporary context, I would conclude that art and porn can coexist in the same space. If we shift our gaze to the past classical nudes or could state that the lewd images could be considered fine art. The same stands for Mapplethorpe. I would go as far as to argue that conservative politicians and the general public attempt to invalidate photos from series such as the X Portfolio as high art given their sense of "other" and their uncomfortability with subject matter that differed from what they are accustomed to. The goal is to make the viewer uncomfortable by exposing them to groups, individuals, and cultures that they are ignorantly and intentionally attempting to avoid through an explicit yet intentional platform.
As I navigate this pertinent question of the explicit in art in my personal studio practice, I keep in mind the work that Mapplethorpe has created. In my mind, my work is supposed to remain a narrative of my experience as a queer individual, and a vast majority of that experience is derived from the intermingling of porn and art. It is supposed to make me think about my audience and how it will be received, positively or negatively. What matters is that I pursue my creative endeavors unapologetically and with an open mind for praise and critique.
Endnotes
[1] “Biography.” Mapplethorpe Foundation. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.mapplethorpe.org/biography.
[2] “Portfolio.” Mapplethorpe Foundation. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.mapplethorpe.org/portfolios/portfolio.
[3] Gallery, JoAnne Artman. “The Self-Portrait: Gender through the Lens of Mapplethorpe.” Artsy, November 1, 2019. https://www.artsy.net/article/joanne-artman-gallery-self-portrait-gender-lens-mapplethorpe.
[4] “Self Portrait.” The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/2695.
[5] Lubow, Arthur. “Has Robert Mapplethorpe's Moment Passed?” The New York Times. The New York Times, July 25, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/arts/design/robert-mapplethorpe-guggenheim.html.
[6] “Self Portrait.” The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/2695.
[7] TheAdvocateMag. “Sexual Objectification of Black Men, from Mapplethorpe to Calvin Klein.” ADVOCATE. Advocate.com, May 17, 2017. https://www.advocate.com/current-issue/2017/5/17/sexual-objectification-black-men-mapplethorpe-calvin-klein.
[8] Lubow, Arthur. “Has Robert Mapplethorpe's Moment Passed?” The New York Times. The New York Times, July 25, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/arts/design/robert-mapplethorpe-guggenheim.html.
[9] “X Portfolio: Photographs: 2022.” Sotheby's. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/oo-may-l22780-photographs/x-portfolio.
[10] Farago, Jason. “Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium Review – Hunting for Sex and Death.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, March 16, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/mar/16/robert-mapplethorpe-the-perfect-medium-photography-los-angeles.
[11] “X Portfolio: Photographs: 2022.” Sotheby's. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/oo-may-l22780-photographs/x-portfolio.
[12] Capps, Kriston. “A Museum Canceled Its Robert Mapplethorpe Show - and Decades Later, It's Finally Trying to Make Amends.” The Washington Post. WP Company, June 13, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/a-museum-canceled-its-robert-mapplethorpe-show--and-decades-later-its-finally-trying-to-make-amends/2019/06/12/692f2744-83ce-11e9-bce7-40b4105f7ca0_story.html.
[13] “Biography.” Mapplethorpe Foundation. Accessed November 8, 2022. https://www.mapplethorpe.org/biography.
