Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe captured jarring and controversial images with the lens of his camera, almost always in black and white. His artistry, which was preoccupied with capturing erotic imagery often depicted BDSM, a scene he was introduced to in the late 1970’s in New York City. Not only did Mapplethorpe use others as subjects for his photos, but he often would feature himself engaging in sex acts – solo and with others – in his work. Beyond that, he captured some of the biggest celebrities of the time like fellow artist Andy Warhol, and singer Patti Smith. The controversial nature of his work sparked a national conversation about public funding for the arts and whether tax dollars should support work that some considered to be obscene.
