Image: Self Portrait, 1980; Photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe courtesy The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation.

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures bears the only label it could, though the chronicle of the eponymous figure’s life and work doesn’t merely state his name and then make a comment. There’s playfulness in Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s choice of subtitle that speaks to the nature of artistry, the way it can court controversy and the role of subjectivity, all topics relevant to Mapplethorpe’s often-provocative photography output. Read one way, the phrase is an acknowledgement of power, recognising imagery that simply commands attention; place emphasis elsewhere, and it becomes a charge of condemnation. In fact, the latter interpretation is ripped straight from the pages of history, with US Senator Jesse Helms once espousing the statement as an indictment of Mapplethorpe’s lack of creative value (and describing him as a “known homosexual who died of AIDS” in the process).

In their latest exploration of people and material that challenge mainstream standards — a collection that includes Inside Deep Throat; made-for-TV examinations of Heidi Fleiss, Chaz Bono and Britney Spears; and documentary and subsequent fictional adaptation Party Monster — Bailey and Barbato clearly don’t agree with Helms’ prejudice or opinions, which were made during a well-publicised debate about the obscenity of Mapplethorpe’s final exhibition. However, they do agree with his demand that audiences peruse the photographer’s prints of flowers, naked forms, S&M acts and male genitals, and they’re hopeful that anyone who does will judge their merits for themselves. 

Accordingly, and far from surprisingly in a film about an artist, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures dedicates much of its running time to presenting Mapplethorpe’s work, both explicit and innocuous, on screen. As astutely edited by Langdon Page (Salinger), sometimes the feature lingers on a particular image, or returns to it later to provide a second glimpse; sometimes, it massages a series of photos into a swift montage, harnessing their collective clout. Intermingled throughout are an array of interviews with those who knew, loved, collaborated with, are related to or had their portrait taken by him, and more — and who can therefore shed light on his story. Elsewhere, the filmmakers lean on discussions by others who appreciate his influence, such as curators marvelling over individual pieces, and use archival footage to help fill in any gaps.

Each supporting chat and clip provides context, and fulfils the necessary task essential to all biographical profiles, charting Mapplethorpe’s journey from Queens-born kid to paramour of Patti Smith, and from subversive photography iconoclast to unparalleled creative force upon his death in 1989. They’re assembled with care, thoughtfulness and thorough research, aiming not to just tell his tale but to explain how and why his work had such an impact. And yet, as informative as the details prove, and as lively and nicely paced as well, they’re not the highlight of the film. As its moniker exclaims, the movie truly is at its best when it’s forcing viewers to look at the pictures. With its subject adamant that his images are an extension and reflection of who he is, that’s understandable.

Indeed, Bailey and Barbato aren’t content to channel Mapplethorpe’s essence, examine his personal interactions and identify the ebbs and flows of his career — they do what great art does, using the work itself to peer inside the artist’s head. In that regard, watching Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures is akin to wandering through an exhibition: it’s an experience of diving in, swimming around and letting it all wash over you. All that’s missing, other than Smith’s involvement, is being able to choose when you come up for air.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

Director: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
USA | Germany, 2016, 108 mins
Rating: R

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