Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was a very well known American photographer. He has a variety of works, ranging from nudes of women and men, to celebrity portraits, self portraits and even still life images.
According to the Tate, "His most controversial work is that of the underground BDSM scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s of New York City. The homoeroticism of this work fuelled a national debate over the public funding of controversial artwork."
However, I have been looking at his work featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Within this image, there's a strong sense of masculinity and power. He's dressed in almost nothing, allowing him to expose and show off as much muscle as possible. In traditional views, muscle is very masculine and the more of it the more attractive you are. It is a sign of health and fitness which is supposed to attract others. He leans on one leg, making the pose seem at least a little more natural, while also showing off meg muscles as he tenses the free one.
"The right side of his body is tilted slightly towards the viewer, emphasising the musculature of his right bicep, thigh and calf muscles." - The Tate
He looks into the camera seriously, but perhaps with a slight smirk, allowing the viewer to admire his body.
He flexes his arms to make sure he shows the full extent of hit muscles, but his face doesn't look like it's straining. It shows him being effortlessly masculine and therefore effortlessly impressive.
"Schwarzenegger poses in front of a blank white wall to the left of a large paisley-patterned curtain, which balances the composition" - The Tate
The strong eye contact, the well built body and his pose all show signs of power, and the fact he's not covered shows this is the true Schwarzenegger. He is strong and powerful; masculine. The Tate states that "Mapplethorpe encourages the viewer to admire Schwarzenegger’s self-created musculature and bodily excess. But he also seems to poke gentle fun at it by using the heavy curtain to mimic the dramatic curvature of the athlete’s oversized body."
The theme of masculinity is indeed a huge contrast to the works of Gianfranco Briceño, who shows the lack of masculinity and men getting in touch with a more 'feminine' side. Mapplethorpe in this image in particular demonstrates key ideologies of masculinity. It's likely that because it was shot for the celebrity, who would have wanted to look good, wouldn't have it any other way. His life was his body, after all.
According to the Tate, "His most controversial work is that of the underground BDSM scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s of New York City. The homoeroticism of this work fuelled a national debate over the public funding of controversial artwork."
However, I have been looking at his work featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Within this image, there's a strong sense of masculinity and power. He's dressed in almost nothing, allowing him to expose and show off as much muscle as possible. In traditional views, muscle is very masculine and the more of it the more attractive you are. It is a sign of health and fitness which is supposed to attract others. He leans on one leg, making the pose seem at least a little more natural, while also showing off meg muscles as he tenses the free one.
"The right side of his body is tilted slightly towards the viewer, emphasising the musculature of his right bicep, thigh and calf muscles." - The Tate
He looks into the camera seriously, but perhaps with a slight smirk, allowing the viewer to admire his body.
He flexes his arms to make sure he shows the full extent of hit muscles, but his face doesn't look like it's straining. It shows him being effortlessly masculine and therefore effortlessly impressive.
"Schwarzenegger poses in front of a blank white wall to the left of a large paisley-patterned curtain, which balances the composition" - The Tate
The strong eye contact, the well built body and his pose all show signs of power, and the fact he's not covered shows this is the true Schwarzenegger. He is strong and powerful; masculine. The Tate states that "Mapplethorpe encourages the viewer to admire Schwarzenegger’s self-created musculature and bodily excess. But he also seems to poke gentle fun at it by using the heavy curtain to mimic the dramatic curvature of the athlete’s oversized body."
The theme of masculinity is indeed a huge contrast to the works of Gianfranco Briceño, who shows the lack of masculinity and men getting in touch with a more 'feminine' side. Mapplethorpe in this image in particular demonstrates key ideologies of masculinity. It's likely that because it was shot for the celebrity, who would have wanted to look good, wouldn't have it any other way. His life was his body, after all.
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