Le Stanze della Fotografia (Venice) hosts a major exhibition dedicated to Robert Mapplethorpe. Curated by Denis Curti, organized by Marsilio Arte in collaboration with the Mapplethorpe Foundation and open until January 6th, 2026, “Robert Mapplethorpe. Le Forme del Classico” [“The Classical Forms”] brings together over 200 works –collages, portraits, nudes– and sheds light on how the controversial American artist reinterpreted classical aesthetics to explore desire, identity, gender and sensuality.
“His vision was shaped by classicism,” we read in the rich catalogue published by Marsilio. “Which Mapplethorpe not only studied but also copied, renewed, and interpreted, translating into photography the principles of harmony, proportion, and formal perfection that characterize ancient sculpture.”
On display in Venice is the dialogue between contemporary photography and classic art; between the sculptural quality of Mapplethorpe’s portraits and ancient statuary; between his meticulously composed black and white nudes and the Greek/Roman nudes he shot. “Photography is the perfect way to make a sculpture,” Mapplethorpe said.
36 years after the “Perfect Moment” retrospective in Philadelphia and the heated debate it sparked on censorship and public funding for the arts, Venice reminds us of Mapplethorpe’s artistry on one hand, of his political relevance on the other. All the more today, with censorship on the rise, federal funding for the arts in jeopardy, free speech, (homo-)erotic imagery and pornography under attack all over the world.
Two more exhibits are being planned next year in Milano and Rome.
Photo: Robert Mapplethorpe.
The exhibit • Photo: Matteo Defina.
Photo: Robert Mapplethorpe.
Photo: Robert Mapplethorpe.
