Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert was aphotographer during early 80s . He was known for his black and white pictures which later became a huge contriversary due to their topics. Robert was a very big figure considering he was a gay man in the 80s and an artist who showed that in his art. I enjoy seeing his photography because it shows levels of intimacy and broke what people thought gay men were like. These images show intimacy at its purest between men which is shown off with how soft the images look and the black and white effects that simmer down the overall image.
Robert had a lot of similarities to the famous Freddie mercuries life. Robert lived first with his girlfriend whom created art with him,before meeting Sam Wagstaff who became his mentor and lover throughout his life. The struggle of being gay in the 80s definitly shows through his art and photographs with the softness and intimacy in them.
"Robert took areas of dark human consent and made them into art. He worked without apology, investing the homosexual with grandeur, masculinity, and enviable nobility. Without affectation, he created a presence that was wholly male without sacrificing feminine grace. He was not looking to make a political statement or an announcement of his evolving sexual persuasion. He was presenting something new, something not seen or explored as he saw and explored it. Robert sought to elevate aspects of male experience, to imbue homosexuality with mysticism. As Cocteau said of a Genet poem, "His obscenity is never obscene."
Vivian Maier
vivian focused on mainly street art and the idea of 'replacement'. My favourite are her photography of the streets of america. Its refreshing to see images from the olden time to see how things have changed and vivian has captured that perfectly; the change of clothes,couples,sense of security (I.e the man sleeping in his car) and the general area around them.
Well, I suppose nothing is meant to last forever. We have to make room for other people. It’s a wheel. You get on, you have to go to the end. And then somebody has the same opportunity to go to the end and so on.” – Vivian Maier
Seeing how people of different social classes have a different view on life, it was interesting to see that vivian photographed everything around her in a new light. Its no secret that vivian grew up with little money, and photographing the world around her was through her eyes. She appriciated the small and the big and every little detail in everyones lives.
Claude Cahun
Claude began doing self protrait as early as 18 (1912) and continued them through out their life. claude took on the aesthetic of surrealism and implemented them into their art. They worked alongside many artists but mainly their partner; Marcel Moore.
Claudes work involved a lot of world war II themes and even became involved; as much as making anti-German fliers. Because of their heavy influence in the activism; Claude and marcel were both jailed and sentanced to death. Fortunately, their sentance was never carried out but due to the treatment claude recieved in jail, they passed away shortly after.
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