Where to begin. I am really not sure. I am still processing what I had to watch. It was interesting and interesting to know that art is subject to the eye of the view and that many views are interested in his artwork there is no denying it but almost seems unfathomable. I found his story very interesting and also related to the idea of fame and wealth. Robert Mapplethorpe seemed to be very must addicted to the idea of fame and getting into the right crowd and become rich. I think that at the time he was going through a lot of uncertainty of his own sexuality and identity that his willingness to exploit himself and his various lovers and subject seems like a cry to attention in my opinion. Although some see this as fine art, I for one see them more as explicated images of porn like the one of him being fisted just seems 1) unnatural like wtf that shit has to hurt and 2) why share it with the world if not for the attention alone? His other work seem to compare or be worthy of appraise at the time but his shot to fame was really over the controversial aspect of his X Y And Z images.
I also found it sad that his relationship with his father was almost non existence because his father couldn’t handle his sexuality. I found it even more sad when his father mentioned even if Robert told him before his work came out he would still not have approved of his son for whom he choose to loves or is that because the damage of these images have already tainted his own father view of his son? I also thought the relationship with his younger brother was disappointing and childish especially when his brother talked about how Robert freaked when he also got mail and Robert got made saying he wouldn’t let anyone ride his “coattail” to fame even his own brother or especially his own brother. He seems very controlling and quiet frankly weird in my onion through the film. His little brother holding on for dear life just wanting to be accepted by a brother that didn’t really seem to care about him. He seemed to idolize his brother in a sense and still does as you can see when he talks about Robert in the film. Yet, he still thought Robert would want him to keep his name alive after he died but never asked him before dying. I also found his going away party beautiful and sad at the same time. It is always beautiful celebrating ones life before passing and their accomplishments in life but Robert became ill at his peak in status and as he finally began making money. His life of sex, drug, and addiction of fame ultimately killed him in the end. Would he still have died at a young age if his path were different? Overall the movie was hard to watch. I get it to each their own but this is one I will rush off to see agin.
Lauren Lauric Photography 