1946 - 1989

Born in New York (US), died in Boston (US).

Robert Mapplethorpe attended the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where he studied drawing, painting and sculpture. While experimenting with collages, Mapplethorpe starts gravitating towards photography after acquiring his first Polaroid in 1970.

From 1975 onwards Mapplethorpe photographs his circle of friends and acquaintances, while also working on several commercial projects. In his photographs Mapplethorpe searches for the unexpected, these subjects are often considered shocking. His body of works both challenges and adheres to classical aesthetic standards.

In 1986 Mapplethorpe is diagnosed with AIDS, which pushes him to increase his creative efforts and expand his photographic inquiry. He dies in 1989.