In a revealing new book, the controversial photographer’s famous peers pick their favorites of his captured faces
William Burroughs shooting a rifle. Dennis Hopper chatting up a blonde. Patti Smith cutting her hair. And, of course, plenty of unknown male anatomy. In other words, there’s something for every art and celebrity voyeur in “Mapplethorpe X7,” a terrific new photo tome from German publisher teNeues.
For the impressive volume, based on a series of exhibitions, seven artists selected their favorite Mapplethorpe snaps from the late lens-man’s enormous archive. The likes of David Hockney, Hedi Slimane and Cindy Sherman sometimes chose the same pictures but more often found a new view on a bigger-than-life body of work.
Seven years in the making, the project stands as an enduring legacy to the talented man who sadly shuffled off in 1989.
Purchase the book here.
