Mapplethorpe Look at the Pictures 

Robert Mapplethorpe was a photographer best known for his black and white photography... most of his most prominent works were taken during the 1960s and 1070s. He was a very controversial photographer due to the subject matter in his photography. The photographs that were most controversial were images of gay men in bondage. Honestly, I don’t really think it is that crazy (in my opinion) but for its time I can understand why there was controversy... especially due to all the stigma the gay communities had and still do I might add. The term pornography is mentioned in the documentary when people describe Roberts photographs. For me it does seem that Robert wanted to create art before anything and wanted to push the boundaries of what art is. With that being said I personally do not think his art is pornography but if someone else feels that it is I can understand it, but it is just a difference of opinion. I do love how he was able to capture the lighting in his photography as well as the style in which he shot his pictures... it may have just been the time era in which the pictures were taken that I enjoy.