Robert Mapplethorpe was a really interesting character to learn about through this documentary. It got me thinking a lot about the artist’s role in their own art, and how Mapplethorpe seemed to be so enveloped by his career that his persona entirely revolved around his identity as an artist, so much so that his personality almost seems like another artwork of his. He is constantly described as a sort of elusive auteur that everyone fell in love with while working with him — his legacy makes him into a mysterious character rather than the nuanced person he undoubtably was. Perhaps this is because of his early death, which often puts creators in that kind of situation.

Either way, he explored a very polarizing subject matter throughout his life, which helped contribute to his fame (no such thing as bad publicity). While it seems a bit extreme compared to the kind of photography we’re used to seeing, making this kind of art is what usually pushes society forward into accepting new forms of expression. Mapplethorpe turned sexuality from a taboo, amateur topic into a legitimate subject for art.