Robert Mapplethorpe 1990 Exhibition Poster "The Perfect Moment"

Item Details

After Robert Mapplethorpe (American, 1946 – 1989)
The Perfect Moment exhibition poster featuring Calla Lily, 1990
Offset lithograph on paper
Unsigned
Published by the Contemporary Arts Center
©1990 The Estate of Robert Mapplethorpe
Images by Julius Friedman
Printed by the Hennegan Company

Robert Mapplethorpe was a photographer known for his large-scale, black and white photographs. Mapplethorpe is most recognized for his floral still lifes, celebrity portraits, and male and female nudes. The artist received his formal education in graphic arts from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, but ultimately dropped out before finishing his degree. Controversy followed his works, which bluntly exposed viewers to BSDM and homoeriticism with a tender treatment of the subject matter. 1989 saw the launch of Mapplethorpe’s touring solo exhibition, The Perfect Moment. When the show was hosted by the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1990, the museum faced a lawsuit and obscenity trial. It was the first time in American history that a museum faced criminal charges. Ultimately, the museum was found “not guilty” by a jury. The case raised a national debate on censorship, freedom of expression, and homophobia. Today, Mapplethorpe’s works can be found in a variety of private and public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, and the Getty Museum.

Provenance
This item is being offered to benefit the Contemporary Arts Center.

Condition

- minimal creases throughout.

Dimensions

Item #

18DCC377-098