Robert Mapplethorpe Trilogy Begins in Venice, Continues to Milan and Rome

Le Stanze della Fotografia on San Giorgio Island in Venice opens 'Robert Mapplethorpe. Le forme del classico', the first of three exhibitions dedicated to the American photographer (1946–1989). Curated by Denis Curti, the show features about 200 vintage prints focusing on Mapplethorpe's classical influences, deliberately omitting his more explicit work, which will be shown in Milan in 2026. The second installment in Milan will explore desire, and the third in Rome will examine ideals of beauty. A single unified catalog is already available. The exhibition includes early collages from the late 1960s, portraits of Patti Smith, bodybuilder Lisa Lyon, male nudes juxtaposed with classical sculpture, self-portraits, large-format flower photographs, and archival materials such as original Patti Smith audiocassettes, magazines, handwritten letters, and contact sheets. Mapplethorpe previously exhibited in Venice at Palazzo Fortuny in 1983 and 1992, the latter curated by Germano Celant, as noted by Luca Massimo Barbero in the catalog introduction.