Robert Mapplethorpe: Behold the Lowly Vessel

The artist Robert Mapplethorpe is known for his photographs of floral still lifes and also for his studies of the human body. His photographs are mostly monochrome and characterized by geometric compositions.

Bill T. Jones, 1985

Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs of flowers are known for their delicate yet erotic beauty. Less often discussed, however, is the role of the individual objects that appear in the carefully composed still lifes. The vases and bowls in these works, which often came from the artist's collection, testify to a great love of design and reflect the flair and sense of classical form that is then expressed in his photographic work. This link forms the starting point for Behold the Lowly Vessel.

From provocative portraits to delicate still lifes: Robert Mapplethorpe's photography is multifaceted

The exhibition at Galerie Thomas Schulte combines Mapplethorpe's photographs with a private collection of vases inspired by the photographs, thus offering a very special perspective. Here, too, the photographs are presented in individual groups composed of repetitions, symmetries and similarities, occasionally playing with dichotomies in line with Mapplethorpe's own approach. Sculptural, sensual images of plants and the human body give the impression of rising, radiating, blooming. Amidst monochrome backgrounds and simple geometries, strong, curved or elongated lines are emphasized by the sculptural bodies of dancers and nudes. These are full of vitality, offering provocative, unobstructed views or are cropped and tightly framed to arouse our curiosity. The deliberate capture of light and shadow is sometimes very measured, sometimes caravaggesque, with a sense of drama and expression in the features that emerge from the darkness.

Galerie Thomas Schulte is showing carefully selected works of art by Robert Mapplethorpe

Robert Mapplethorpe's colleague Dimitri Levas was once commissioned to make the selection. With his characteristic eye for beauty, Levas rummaged through flea markets for treasures, which he made available to the artist. The self-proclaimed hunter-gatherer, whose collection of vases is presented here, reverses this process to a certain extent. Through the close study of Mapplethorpe's photographs and subsequent research, the vessels and their makers were deciphered and objects that were as similar as possible were identified. An exhibition that began with a vase ultimately reflects a personal journey through Mapplethorpe's work and its deep resonance.

These personal stories, inspirations and explorations invite us to make our own discoveries. We follow the intimate moments of exchange that run through the gallery spaces: from the elegant curves and bends of a vase, to the meaningful dangle of a flower, to the expressive sweep of a dancer's arm. It is not a linear path, but a continuous process of return. Through it, the vessels, both in the picture and in the object, attain a certain fullness that is fed by a source of associations, memories and emotions.

Runtime: Sat, 29/06/2024 to Sat, 24/08/2024

Takes place here:

• Galerie Thomas Schulte