Robert Mapplethorpe’s recent retrospective at LACMA is stunning in its breadth and cohesiveness. What comes across most profoundly is the artist’s sensitivity to his subjects. When looking at these images one senses the artist’s own investment in these relationships. This is especially true in the now famous photographs of singer/songwriter/friend Patti Smith. We’ve all seen these images before, yet they never stale or become simply part of the larger cultural fodder. This is because the artist’s own personal connection to Smith is so palpable. These are images of vulnerability and strength. They attest to the depth and power of Mapplethorpe’s connectivity to the world around him. A concurrent Mapplethorpe exhibition on view at the Getty is definitely worth seeing also.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Show closes July 31, 2016