Robert Mapplethorpe in search of classical perfection

The quest for absolute perfection – in geometry, in light, in beauty – and a classicism expressed through photography, which becomes a means of expression: the images created by Robert Mapplethorpe are exhibited in an exhibition that focuses precisely on this fundamental aspect of his work, bringing together his early collages, portraits, self-portraits, nudes, with forms of nature, flowers and, above all – exclusively for this occasion – two ancient works (the Statue of Aphrodite and the Statue of an Athlete, housed in the Capitoline Museums), in which classicism finds its synthesis between photographed and sculptural forms.

The retrospective – which features over 200 images – dedicated to the renowned American photographer, who passed away in 1989, is entitled ‘Robert Mapplethorpe – The Forms of Beauty’: following its stops in Venice and Milan, the exhibition arrives in Rome at a venue – the Ara Pacis Museum – where the juxtaposition of classical art and the artist’s creative exploration finds a natural home. The exhibition – organised by Roma Capitale and Marsilio Arte, in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation in New York, and open until 4 October – also features previously unseen photographs, including a selection taken by Mapplethorpe during his stays in Capri and Naples, at the invitation of his gallerist Lucio Amelio, who asked him, following the 1980 earthquake, to take part in the Terrae Motus project – alongside over 60 artists including Warhol, Kounellis, Pistoletto, Schifano and Schnabel – with the aim of transforming the catastrophe into a creative force. The images document the American photographer’s strong connection with Italia and, within the exhibition, seem to engage in an ideal dialogue with the museum space itself, reaffirming this encounter between classical tradition and a contemporary perspective.

An encounter that ultimately forms the basis of the entire exhibition, which is founded on a vision of Mapplethorne that goes beyond – as curator Denis Curti emphasises – that of a ‘photographer of provocation’: “He was not seeking scandal for its own sake; he was seeking perfection of form”, states Curti, who highlights how this artist’s true strength lies “in having applied the order and harmony of classical sculpture to subjects considered, at the time, to be provocative. Mapplethorpe did not set out to shock the world; he sought to elevate the human body — every body — to a sacred and monumental dimension”.

The exhibition is therefore based on this premise, beginning with some little-known works from his early years – three-dimensional assemblages and collages that are provocative and designed to trigger an emotional reaction in the viewer, as if to complete the work itself. The focus then shifts to his muses: Patti Smith, with whom he shared a long and symbiotic relationship, and the bodybuilder Lisa Lyon, whose role in his art was fundamental. And then there are the self-portraits, as well as portraits of famous figures – from Isabella Rossellini to David Byrne, from Donald Sutherland to Yoko Ono, from Richard Gere to Glenn Close, Grace Jones and Susan Sarandon – in which the gaze becomes decisive in defining and narrating the subject. Then there is the series of flowers and still lifes, which forms the centrepiece of the exhibition: here, the pursuit of geometric perfection in form, combined with an exploration of light, elevates nature to a testament to classical ideals. As if in a dialogue, these photographs relate to the nudes – the male and female bodies – which, through the images, also become elements of classical art, evoking marble sculptures. An encounter between the ancient and the modern pervades the entire exhibition, right through to the images from the aforementioned ‘Terrae Motus’ project, offering a perspective – a different way of observing landscapes and art.

Robert Mapplethorpe – The Forms of Beauty, curated by Denis Curti, Ara Pacis Museum, Rome, until 4 October 2026