Lisa Lyon, Mapplethorpe's Muse and Bodybuilding Icon, Dies at 70

Lisa Lyon, the pioneering female bodybuilder and muse to Robert Mapplethorpe, has died at age 70 from stomach cancer. Lyon, who stood 160 cm and weighed just over 50 kg, was known for her sculpted physique and appeared in Mapplethorpe's iconic photographs, often wearing at most a bikini. Their collaboration produced the book 'Lady Lisa Lyon' with texts by Bruce Chatwin and Germano Celant. Lyon also modeled for Helmut Newton. She began bodybuilding in the early 1970s to improve her performance in Kendo, a Japanese martial art, and won the women's world bodybuilding championship in 1979. In the 1980s, she promoted female bodybuilding through books, Playboy poses, TV appearances, and film roles. Comic artist Frank Miller cited Mapplethorpe's photos of Lyon as inspiration for his character Elektra in 1980. Lyon's body, built through rigorous training, became part of photography and comic history, symbolizing women's liberation from the traditional pin-up image.