| I think one of the things that gets me most about Mapplethorpe's work is his ability to capture, through his vision, the essence of his subjects. In his portraits, he shows us exactly who the people are, in ways that we would expect them to be portrayed. Gabriel appears deep and mysterious, which if you listen to a lot of his music, is the perfect visual for him. Rossellini, having been called at one point the most beautiful woman in the world, is portrayed in soft light and positioned to show the world her beauty. The portrait of Hines depicts the essence of Hines; his grace and eternal movement. The many photos of Smith manage to cature not just her image but give you a sense of her loneliness. These are just a few examples of Mapplethorpe's artistic brilliance, his ability to capture our attention thru the emotions of his subject. In his search for 'things he has never seen before', Mapplethorpe manages to characterize and depict the inherent nature of his subjects. |
