HOMOEROTICISM AT ITS FINEST

Don't know about you, but I get OBSESSED with things. One of my MANY obsessions is homoerotic art and photography and one of my favorite photographers is Robert Mapplethorpe. I usually really dislike black and white photography because I don't feel that it represents real life but this b&w imaging is dope! Since this is my first blog post, I knew I had to go with what inspires me and what is really meaningful in representing my loves, wants and desires. I think RM's work really gives you a piece of little ole moi!

RM grew up in Queens, attended Pratt (dropped out) and started out using a Polaroid camera (p.s. that is sooooo fucking cool)! He loved photographing Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, Debby Harry and Grace Jones. More importantly, he brought sexually charged pictures of black men to the forefront of what was then considered exploitive art. It goes to show you that bad press can be good press because RM's provocative and shocking images received massive criticism and yet he still became highly successful at a very conservative period in art and fashion. Luckily, I had the chance of seeing his work for the first time at PS1 in the fall of '06. It was everything you want art to be: shocking, provocative, engaging, beautiful and meaningful. I've been OBSESSED ever since.

Unfortunately RM passed away due to complications from AIDS in '89. His work was his lifestyle; his lifestyle was his work. Here are some of RM's amazing pics. ENJOY!