Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

About the movie

Robert Mapplethorpe was a technical virtuoso who photographed flowers the same way he did men’s bodies and, especially, their sexual organs. He is known by many as the most controversial photographer of the twentieth century. This portrait of the artist forces viewers to take a long look at his pictures, proving that he still has the power to provoke, seduce and enrage.
Bailey and Barbato revisit chronologically the life and career of this artist born in Catholic family, by mixing audio recordings of Mapplethorpe himself and on-camera interviews with family members, lovers and admirers. The documentary gives a clue about what drove this icon of decadence to aggressively upend the conventions of photography. Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2016.
“A treasure trove of material to bring Mapplethorpe back to life.” – The Hollywood Reporter
“Has the power to provoke, seduce and enrage” – The Guardian (++++)
“A gorgeously edited scrapbook of underground passion” – BBC

Participating