Illustration and Typography design by:A2-GRAPHICS/SW/HK
 
PRESS RELEASE
   
Robert Mapplethorpe
9 november - 21 december 2001


asprey jacques is pleased to present its first solo show of renowned American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Following the exhibition of Mapplethorpe Polaroids from the early seventies and new work by Nobuyoshi Araki and Saul Fletcher in November 2000, asprey jacques has now taken on representation of The Estate of Robert Mapplethorpe. The exhibition Robert, Patti and Sam features previously unseen material including coloured pencil drawings on collaged photographs in a linen notebook which Mapplethorpe kept at his studio.

As the title of the show suggests, the works on exhibition (black & white and colour Polaroids, silver gelatin prints and collages) relate to Robert Mapplethorpe's friendship with rock poet Patti Smith and the New York collector and curator Sam Wagstaff. Also on show are self portraits taken during the early seventies including a unique photo booth series of Mapplethorpe wearing a sailorðs cap.

While studying at The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in the late sixties, Robert Mapplethorpe (born in 1946) made collages using pornographic magazines as his source material. He acquired a Polaroid camera in 1970 toproduce his own personal images and made numerous intimate photographs of Patti Smith, including the now famous image of her in dishevelled shirt and tie which featured on the cover of her 1975 debut album Horses. Photography progressively became Mapplethorpe's principal medium. The study of its history was facilitated by his relationship with Sam Wagstaff and together they began to collect photography in 1972 - Wagstaffðs collection was bought by The J Paul Getty Museum in 1984. Throughout this time, Mapplethorpe documented himself and produced the extensive series of self portraits that continued right up to his death in 1989.


For further information please contact Caroline Hancock on 020 7287 7675
Gallery hours: tuesday to friday 10 - 6, saturday 10 - 1