Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition explores the classical photography of Robert Mapplethorpe mirrored in the dramatic yet graceful work of 16th-century Dutch and Flemish Mannerist prints by artists such as Hendrick Goltzius, Jan Harmensz. Muller, Jacob Matham, and Jan Saenredam, themselves inspired by classical and Italian art. The exhibition focuses on Mapplethorpe’s relationship to the elaborate forms of Mannerist art, in particular the study of the human form in all its sensuous manifestations.
When Mapplethorpe tragically died at the young age of 42, he was considered one of the most important photographers of his time. His elegant and sometimes shocking nudes, the black-and-white portraits, flowers, and still lifes, as well as the powerful, often surprisingly tender images of sexual sadomasochism, have had an undeniable impact on the art world.
From Michelangelo to Antonio Canova, Mapplethorpe was inspired by Renaissance sculpture and the elegance of late-18th-century neoclassicism. In his quest for the ideal form, Mapplethorpe described photography as “the perfect way to make a sculpture.” A selection of sculptures in the exhibition highlights the dialogue of Mapplethorpe’s photographs and the Mannerist prints with classical antiquity, further illustrating their compelling relationship and a broader understanding of the history of art.
Curators
Germano Celant, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, and
Arkady Ippolitov, Curator of Italian Prints, The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Location
Deutsche Guggenheim
Unter den Linden 13/15
10117 Berlin
Opening hours
Daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursdays to 10 p.m.
Including MuseumsShop and KAFFEEBANK
Catalogue and Edition
Accompanying the exhibition is the catalogue Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition: Photographs and Mannerist Prints (softcover, German and English, € 34). Created as Edition No. 28 of the Deutsche Guggenheim is the diavography Phaeton and Thomas, 2004, after the works by Hendrick Goltzius and Robert Mapplethorpe in a limited edtion of 100 (approx. price € 250).
Exclusively available in the MuseumsShop (030) 202093-16.
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Admission
| Adults | | € 3 |
| Reduced Rate | | € 2 |
| Children under 12 | | Admission free |
| School classes | | Admission free |
| School classes with guided tours | | € 25 |
| Groups up to 20 | | € 25 |
| Family Card | | € 8 |
| Mondays | | Admission free |
Guided tours
Free Guided tours: Daily at 6 p.m.
Lunch Lectures: Wednesdays at 1 p.m. (Guided tours on selected themes followed by a small lunch)
Keynote Tours: Sundays at 11.30 a.m. (Guided tours on special themes followed by brunch)
Special guided tours, tours in foreign languages, and tours for schoolchildren are available. Please call (030) 20 20 93-14
Deutsche Guggenheim Club
Information on Deutsche Guggenheim’s friendship circle at our homepage or at (030) 202093-19.
art shop
700 articles ranging from catalogues to toys and art books for children; innovative design from Berlin and articles from the Guggenheim Museum stores in Bilbao, New York and Venice.
>> art shop
Café
KAFFEEBANK
Drinks, brunch/snacks: varying menu
Public transport to the exhibition
Subway Stadtmitte (U2) or Französische Straße (U6)
S-Bahn Unter den Linden (S1, S2) or Friedrichstraße (S3, S5, S7, S9, S75)
Bus No.100, 200, 348
>> Map
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