Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now

The Guggenheim Museum in New York highlights Robert Mapplethorpe’s ongoing influence on photography and art with a two-part presentation, spanning from 24 July 2019 to 5 January 2020.

Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–1989) ranks among the most celebrated and controversial American artists of the late twentieth century. Thirty years after his death, the Guggenheim Museum celebrates the continuing legacy of the iconic artist’s work with a year-long exhibition, presented in two consecutive parts.

Part one (25 January to 10 July 2019) featured early polaroids, collages and mixed-media constructions; part two (24 July 2019 to 5 January 2020) now addresses Mapplethorpe’s complex legacy in the field of contemporary art. A focused selection of Mapplethorpe’s photographs is showcased alongside excerpts from the Guggenheim’s collection, including works by Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Lyle Ashton Harris, Glenn Ligon, Zanele Muholi, Catherine Opie and Paul Mpagi Sepuya.


For further information visit Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum