Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

"Look at the pictures!" implored Senator Jesse Helms to denounce Robert Mapplethorpe's art. 25 years later, esteemed directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato are doing exactly that: they visit the archive and take a profound look at the pictures. For the first time since his death of AIDS in 1989, we are presented with a documentary portrait of the legendary photographer, whose provocative art is exceeded only by his controversial life. The movie combines interviews with key people in Mapplethorpe's life and rare archival footage, shedding new light on the artist. His story is told in his own voice, in recordings never before released, as he candidly talks about his aspirations, loves and work.