Critics Notebook: Why Saint Robert Mapplethorpe Still Matters

-
THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Holland Cotter
“Derrick Cross” (1983), part of “The Perfect Medium,” a joint show of Robert Mapplethorpe’s work at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
CALIFORNIA---In a midcareer self-portrait, Robert Mapplethorpe depicted himself as a devil, with a bullwhip for a tail. But he ended up on the side of the angels. In 1989, a traveling survey of his work, with pictures of extreme homosexual acts, pushed the American culture wars into high gear. Religious groups raged. A new Mapplethorpe, Saint Robert, was born. A quarter-century later, canonization is complete. In Los Angeles, a doubleheader retrospective, “Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium,” is on view at both the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. A documentary film, “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” will have its debut Monday on HBO. [link]

The J. Paul Getty Museum: "Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium" (Ends July 31, 2016). 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA; (310) 440-7300; getty.edu

Popular posts from this blog

Passing on Your Collection to Another Generation

-
Image
By Ernest Disney-Britton Our living room in downtown Indianapolis This house (in Indiana) allowed us to explore everything, but today is moving day! It was a maximalist experience for two minimalists who love to collect. We sold off multiple collections, including snow globes, Mary sculptures, paperweights, Disney plates, nutcrackers, 21c penguins, walking canes, and 100 prints and paintings! Most of it was in storage, but plenty was on display. We did it by inviting our community of artists and collectors to an estate sale before opening it to the public. Congratulations to the new owners. We hope your collections continue to grow. Goodbye, Indiana!
Read more

Museum Calls Off Kehinde Wiley Show, Citing Assault Allegations

-
Image
THE NEW YORK TIMES Kehinde Wiley at his exhibition “An Archaeology of Silence” at the de Young Museum in San Francisco in 2023. Other museums have put plans for the show on hold. Credit: Ian C. Bates for The New York Times The Minneapolis Institute of Art announced Thursday that it had decided not to move forward with a planned Kehinde Wiley exhibition, citing recent allegations of sexual misconduct against the artist, which he has denied. The exhibition, called “ An Archaeology of Silence ,” originated at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and has been traveling around the country. [ Source ]
Read more

Was Jesus naked on the cross? Yes, according to Michelangelo, the Bible, and Roman customs

-
Image
THE GLEANER | JAMAICA, WI By Rev. Clinton Chisholm Naked Jesus credited by many to Michelangelo | Courtesy of Wikipedia WISCONSIN - Our Lord Jesus Christ was, in all likelihood, naked on the cross. Christian art and the Church will not face it readily, so you won't see crucifixion pictures of Jesus with exposed penis, though in all likelihood, following Roman custom, he would have been crucified naked. [ link ]
Read more