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'''Robert Mapplethorpe''' (1946–1989) was a little-known photographer who became famous for glorifying [[homosexuality]] in sexually explicit pictures, sometimes at taxpayer expense. He lived the lifestyle that he promoted and died at an age of only 42 from an [[AIDS]]-related illness.
Mapplethorpe's photographs invariably included detailed explorations of [[flowers]], [[homosexual]] erotica, and [[Patti Smith]], with whom he lived early in his career. His work is often viewed as a continuation of the image-focused exhibits of fellow artist [[Andy Warhol]], as well as exploration in the study of composition and grayscale utilization pioneered by [[Diane Arbus]] and [[Paul Outerbridge]].<ref name="Morr">Morrinsoe, Patricia. ''Mapplethorpe: A Biography''. New York: Random House</ref> While not particularly technically adept, Mapplethorpe had a keen instinctual eye for that which he was photographing; “I never liked photography,” he said of his work, “Not for the sake of photography. I like the object. I like the photographs when you hold them in your hand.”<ref>Mapplethorpe Foundation Website</ref>
Mapplethorpe was central in a controversy during the 1970s over the role of the [[National Endowment for the Arts]] in financing artistic endeavors, when many people objected to the content of his federally funded artwork and found his photographs offensive.<ref name="Morr" />
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