bellebyrd: Sweden

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14 May, 2011

Lust & Vice - Stockholm

24 March 2011–14 August 2011

The exhibition Lust & Vice shows examples of how sexuality, virtue and sin have been depicted in art since the 16th century – from an age when the Church preached that sexual contact was only permitted within wedlock to today’s questioning of who erotic art is created for. A total of 200 works are on show from the museum’s own collections, a mix of paintings, drawings, sculptures and applied art. You can also see a genuine chastity belt!

Naked bottoms

The exhibition includes paintings of women showing their naked bottoms. The erotic allusion in such pictures was long considered sinful, since the act of lovemaking (between husband and wife of course!) required eye contact. Intercourse from behind was something that only animals did. You’ll also be able to see a series of coarse, scurrilous sexual drawings from correspondence between artists Johan Tobias Sergel and Carl August Ehrensvärd. The drawings were extremely private and until now have hardly ever been shown to the public.

More Info

Nationalmuseum: Södra Blasieholmshamnen
Nationalmuseum is on Blasieholmen, just past the Grand Hôtel, before the bridge to Skeppsholmen.

Robert Mapplethorpe

Robert Mapplethorpe

17 June - 2 October 2011

Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) is undoubtedly one of the most important photographers of the twentieth century. He was inspired by the sculpture of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and translated this aesthetic to a time and culture of his own, namely New York’s gay scene in the 1980s. The resulting images portray the beautifully lit unadorned bodies of muscular men. Moreover, Mapplethorpe depicted female nudes, various flowers, in addition to portraits of his friends and acquaintances such as Patti Smith, Louise Bourgeois, and Robert Rauschenberg. Regardless of motif Mapplethorpe’s photographs continuously reflected the same formalist aesthetic for which he is known. Fotografiska is proud to present a retrospective of nearly 200 of these stunning prints, many which have never been exhibited in Sweden before.

Admittedly Mapplethorpe’s images of male nudes, phalluses, and S&M subculture are known to provoke or even shock, although they were photographed decades ago. In 1988 Mapplethorpe responded to ARTnews with the statement, "I don't like that particular word 'shocking.' I'm looking for the unexpected. I'm looking for things I've never seen before … I was in a position to take those pictures. I felt an obligation to do them."

Mapplethorpe began his artistic career in 1963 at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he studied drawing, painting, and sculpture. He acquired a Polaroid camera in 1970 and began producing his own photographs in order to incorporate the images into his collages. That same year he moved into the Chelsea Hotel, where he resided side by side with some of the most influential musicians and artists of the time, including Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, and Janis Joplin.

In the mid 1970s Mapplethorpe obtained a Hasselblad 500. The Swedish brand medium-format camera required him to work meticulously. As a result Mapplethorpe transitioned to studio photography. Within the space of his studio Mapplethorpe was able to hone his craft as well as the visual language that distinguished his career. Today Mapplethorpe is considered to be one of the most significant photographers in the history of the medium, and his oeuvre is represented in major museums throughout the world.

Robert Mapplethorpe died of AIDS in 1989.

http://en.fotografiska.eu/The-Museum/Artister/Robert-Mapplethorpe

Fotografiska – A forum of photography.

At Fotografiska, we strive to become an important center for contemporary photography. Our ambition is to exhibit world-renown photographers, many of whom have never shown in Sweden. Located in the heart of Stockholm, the museum has an exhibition space of 2 500 square meters, and will feature 4 major exhibitions per year and approximately 15 - 20 minor exhibitions. At Fotografiska, we aim to engage and inspire a dialogue on photography via exhibitions, seminars, and courses, in addition to actively working toward the acquisition of contemporary photography for our permanent collection. Fotografiska is financed by both private investors and by the city of Stockholm.

We are located inside Stora Tullhuset, on the docks of Stadsgården in Stockholm. We are located by the seafront on Stadsgårdshamnen, between Birka Cruises and Viking Line boat terminals. You can easily reach us by walking along the water from Slussen or Gamla Stan.

http://en.fotografiska.eu/Visit-Us/Find-Us

In addition to the exhibition spaces, 5 500 square meters of Fotografiska houses an academy, bistro, cafe, bar, conference rooms, museum shop, gallery, and event spaces.