Famous for his celebrity and flower ‘portraits’, and striking, often intimate explorations of the human figure, Robert Mapplethorpe subjected all of his disparate objects to a rigorously exquisite value flattening: that a lily should be exposed as prurient, and shocking ‘deviance’ be revealed in classical elegance. And always, perhaps most recognizable, the exquisitely pure surface of the photographs themselves; Mapplethorpe’s mastery of lighting, grain, and depth of field all focus the viewer to the formal beauty and the intrinsic integrity of each object. Born in the rapidly changing post-war 1946, Mapplethorpe spent his childhood on Long Island, and he received a B.F.A. from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Robert Mapplethorpe died of AIDS in 1989 at the age of 42.

The public is invited to meet the living artist at the opening. Images are available upon request. Please call 970.920.9797 for further information. Since 1994, Baldwin Gallery has been presenting new work by established artists of international renown. In that time, the gallery has earned a reputation as an important venue for contemporary art. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday from Noon to 5 pm. The Baldwin Gallery is located at 209 South Galena Street in Aspen, Colorado.