Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation A Perfectionist

Kunsthal Rotterdam presents a large-scale retrospective of the life and work of Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989). More than two decades after his death, his work remains controversial and tests the limits of what is artistically possible. The exhibition offers an impressive survey of his career, from early works in the late 1960s to the art world success he established in the 1980s.

More than 200 objects throw new light on his preferred genres: portraiture, self-portraiture, the nude, and still life. This is the first time that Mapplethorpe’s work is shown in the Netherlands on such a large scale after a long absence. The Kunsthal is delighted to be the only European venue to present this special exhibition, organised by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation.