Nice to see someone finally put into words what I've thought for a long time. Photography is tricky as an artform. What (or who) exactly makes the distinction between a shutterbug and a capital "A" Artist in the photography world? And, more specifically, how does Mapplethorpe's work qualify as "art" when there are a million images just like it on the internet that are considered softcore porn?
Dude never really impressed me. I assume the whole "shock" aspect had a lot to do with it, and the s&m trappings but, still......... so what?
Oh well. On a similar note, I always thought Patti Smith was insanely overrated, too. That whole incestuous NYC artsy fartsy boho scene. Verlaine, Reed, Carroll, Sonic Youth, yawn yawn yawn.....
Well, SY had a string of damn fine albums ('85-'88), but their lyrics were always pretty embarrassing when removed from the context of the music.
Anyway, good article.
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