Opening Thursday, October 10th

Robert Mapplethorpe: Double Exposure

OPENING RECEPTION – THURSDAY OCTOBER 10TH 5:30- 7:30 PM

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Robert Rauschenberg and Trisha Brown, 1983

Paris Fashion | Karl Lagerfeld and Dovanna, 1984

Weinstein Hammons Gallery, with the gracious assistance of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, is pleased to present Double Exposure, an exhibition featuring twenty gelatin silver photographs, vintage lithographs, and rare prints from 1976 to 1988.

Robert Mapplethorpe, one of the most iconic and important photographers of the 20th century, revolutionized the medium with his bold and boundary-defying images. Renowned for his elegant portraits, dramatic still lifes, and evocative explorations of the human form, his work introduced a timeless, sculptural beauty to photography.

Double Exposure highlights Mapplethorpe's fascination with dual subject matter—often captured within the same frame or arranged as paired installations. Notable works in the exhibition include a self-portrait alongside his famous muse, Lisa Lyon, the intimate image of Larry and Bobby kissing, an arresting portrait of Ken Moody and Robert Sherman gazing at the camera, and two calla lilies delicately composed in a single frame. Two significant pieces feature one of his sitters, Clifton—one with his eyes open and one closed—exhibited together.

These dual compositions invite the viewer to look beyond the surface, exploring the dynamic relationships between paired subjects. Placing two elements side by side creates a visual dialogue that underscores their contrasts and connections, offering deeper insights into the subject matter. This interplay enhances the meaning of each image, unveiling a more complex and layered understanding of Mapplethorpe's work.

Using pairs, Mapplethorpe evokes themes of duality, tension, and harmony, encouraging a rich exploration of the subjects and their relationships within his oeuvre.

Perhaps one of the most famous and controversial artists to emerge from the late 1970s and 1980s, it is nearly impossible to overestimate the impact of Robert Mapplethorpe's work, both artistically and socially. He was born in 1946 in Floral Park, New York, and earned a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Mapplethorpe died of AIDS on March 9, 1989, in Boston at 42 years old. Since that time, his work has been the subject of innumerable exhibitions throughout the world, including major museum traveling retrospectives.