Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition:
Photographs and Mannerist Prints
July 24 until October 17, 2004
The Deutsche Guggenheim presents Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical
Tradition: Photographs and Mannerist Prints in ist exhibition space Under
den Linden from July 24 to October 17, 2004.
With over one-hundred and twenty objects, the exhibition explores the dialogue
between the photographic work of Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) and classic
art, in particular late-16-th-century Netherlandish mannerist prints through the
copperplate engravings and woodcuts of Hendrick Goltzius, Jan Harmensz. Muller,
Jacob Matham and Jan Saenredam. Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition
has been jointly organized by the Solomon
R. Guggenheim Foundation, new York,
and the State Hermitage Museum,
St. Petersburg.
Deeply rooted in Italian art, Mannerism was an international movement, which
arose after the death of Raphael in 1520. Mannerist printmaking spread to France
and the Netherlands, as well as Germany and Prague. Referred to as the “stylish
style”, Mannerism is characterized by emotional and narrative elements that
shift from the balance of harmony and equilibrium articulated by the art of the
High Renaissance. In order to emphasize torsos and limbs, Mannerist artists
often violated classical canons of perfect proportions. Figures were not only
nude, but elongated and elaborate in a near vertiginous fashion, indicating the
artists’ mastery of anatomy. In some cases the figures were nearly grotesque in
their depiction of exaggerated musculature, as exemplified particularly with the
work of Goltzius. Likewise, the physical distortions underscored the drama and
cruelty of the narrative, though grace and wit were important features of the
Mannerist aesthetic, as reflected in their choice of mythological and
allegorical subjects.
The electric and emotive potency of love and Eros, which informs many of the
Mannerist works in the exhibition, is expressed as well in the work of Robert
Mapplethorpe, whose sometimes shocking photographs reveal compelling strength
and a nervous energy. Passionate about the human body in his creative quest,
Mapplethorpe described photography as “the perfect way to make a sculpture.” He
looked for perfection in form with every subject he tackled, and his
photographs, ripe with sculptural tension, are imbued with an erotic ambiguity.
Furthermore, the classical ideal was not only a poetic inspiration for him but
also an ethical model that he sought to emulate throughout his short life. He
combined harmonious sculptural excellence with photographic absoluteness,
striving to mirror art in life and art in photography. In this way, he was able
to express radical themes in typical historical terms. Partaking of classical
naturalism, his compositions are meticulously thought out and reflect a highly
detailed perusal of figural gestures, from the perfection of Michelangelo to the
elegance of 18th- and 19th-century artists. The vital anatomical forms of his
portraits, such as the bodybuilder Lisa Lyons and the statuesque dancer Derrick
Cross, find their roots in antiquity, and here are mirrored in the highly
expressive 16th-century prints of Muller’s The Rape of the Sabine Women
and Matham’s dynamic Apollo in the Clouds.
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.
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Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition: Photographs and
Mannerist Prints is curated by Germano Celant, Senior Curator of
Contemporary Art, Guggenheim Museum New York, together with Arkady
Ippolitov, Curator of Italian Prints, State Hermitage St. Petersburg.
Accompanying the exhibition is a catalogue in German and English, with
essays by the curators as well as a contribution by Jennifer Blessing at a
price of € 34.
As Edition No. 28 of the Deutsche Guggenheim, is a new diavographie Phaeton
and Thomas, 2004, created after the works of the same name by Hendrick
Goltzius and Robert Mapplethorpe, in a limited edition of 100 copies. The
edition is available at a price of € 240 exclusively in the MuseumsShop.
Alongside the exhibition is an accompanying program of wide-ranging scope.
On Saturday, August 28, the 16th Long Night of the Museums takes place in
Berlin. The Deutsche Guggenheim presents at 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and 12 p.m the
play Himmel der Frauen (Heaven of Women) by the Spanish artist Viktor Mira
in the atrium of the Deutsche Bank. Parallel to this special event, the
exhibition Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition may be visited,
or the collection of special offerings in the MuseumsShop may be examined
at leisure.
The traditional family brunch takes place on Sunday, September 12 at 11:30
a.m. in the Deutsche Guggenheim. While adults take a guided tour with the
theme Bodies Formed by Light and Bodies Felt with Line: A Comparison,
children discover the exhibition in a playful manner.
The lecture by Prof. Dr. Andreas Haus, Universität der Künste, on Wednesday,
September 15 at 7 p.m., focuses on the theme Photo-Body-Myth. Robert
Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition.
On Thursday, October 7 at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. as well as on Sunday October
10 at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., members of the ensemble oktopus present
directly in the exhibition itself RoMa Duos for saxophone and trombone.
Inspired by the current exhibition, Konstantia Gourzi has recomposed
instrumental duos from the 16th and 17th centuries for saxophone and
trombone.
In cooperation with the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, keynote tours devoted
to the theme of Mannerism are being offered in the Kupferstichkabinett and
in the Gemäldegalerie am Kulturforum with Thomas Hoffmann. More detailed
information concerning titles and dates is available at the counter of the
Deutsche Guggenheim.
Free guided tours through the exhibition are offered daily at 6 p.m. The
lunch lectures will take place every Wednesday at 1 p.m. The keynote tours
are held on Sundays at 11.30 a.m. and are followed by a brunch.
Deutsche Guggenheim is a partner of
 and of the american
season.
>> Download this Pressrelease
Images of the exhibition
are available online at www.photo-files.de/guggenheim in a 300 dpi quality.
Further information at
Manager: Svenja Gräfin von Reichenbach
Press: Sara Bernshausen
Phone: +49-30-202093-14
Fax: +49-30-202093-20
email: berlin.guggenheim@db.com
Internet: www.deutsche-guggenheim.de
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