PLAYING WITH THE EDGE: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ACHIEVEMENT OF ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE / Arthur C. Danto.

--Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, October 1995.--205 p.: ill.--ISBN 0-520-20051-9 (cl., alk. paper); LC 94-38950: $24.95. At the time of his death in 1989, Robert Mapplethorpe was known in the art world, but was largely unheard of by the general public. Shortly after his death, Mapplethorpe became a household name when the Corcoran Gallery, citing political reasons, canceled his NEA-funded exhibition, "The Perfect Moment." A Cincinnati museum and its director were later indicted and acquitted on counts of pandering obscenity and child pornography for exhibiting the same show, and Jesse Helms destroyed the exhibition catalogue on the Senate floor. Mapplethorpe's legacy is still linked to Congressional deliberations about art and taxpayers; his name appears several times in the 1995 Congressional Record in conjunction with NEA budget discussions. The period since his death has also witnessed a profusion of books and articles devoted to the analysis, review, condemnation, and presentation of Mapplethorpe's life and work. Several monographs and exhibition catalogues and a CD-ROM have recently appeared, as well as two biographies: Patricia Morrisroe's sensation-seeking Mapplethorpe: A Biography (New York: Random House, 1995) and Jack Fritscher's Mapplethorpe, Assault with a Deadly Camera: A Pop Culture Memoir, An Outlaw Reminiscence (Mamaroneck, NY: Hastings House, 1994). Unfortunately, Mapplethorpe's personality and sex life, and the pornographic nature of his "X Portfolio," have too often taken precedence over the conscientious examination of the artistic value of his work. The result of this notoriety, of course, is that while Mapplethorpe's images may be more available than ever before, they are almost impossible to view without preconceived expectations or judgments. This is especially true of the photographs depicting gay, sadomasochistic practices. In Playing with the Edge: The Photographic Achievement of Robert Mapplethorpe, Arthur C. Danto, the acclaimed philosopher, professor, writer and art critic for The Nation, thoughtfully tackles Mapplethorpe's work as a whole. He is particularly successful at stripping back the layers of hype to explore the perplexing beauty the artist found in sadomasochistic activities. Danto acknowledges that these photographs represent Mapplethorpe's most distinctive achievement, however they are to be deciphered or comprehended, and examines them within the artistic, social, political, and moral environment of the 1970s. Mapplethorpe's portraits, flowers, and nudes are also addressed. The first essay, "Looking at Robert Mapplethorpe's Art," is the most recent of the three. In it, Danto describes seeing Mapplethorpe's retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1988, before the NEA imbroglio erupted, and the fear, fascination, and exhilaration he felt upon encountering the infamous "X Portfolio" without any previous knowledge of its existence. This is followed by a discussion of Richard Marshall's masterful exhibition design, and an overview of "The Perfect Moment" NEA debate.

The second essay, "Playing With the Edge," which first appeared in the lavish Mapplethorpe (New York: Random House, 1992), is the longest and most insightful of the three. It is reproduced here for those who could not afford the expensive Random House volume, and includes the textual images that accompanied the original essay. Danto examines Mapplethorpe's art within the context of his predecessors and contemporaries. He explores Mapplethorpe's manipulation of the "edge" between art and pornography, and the presentation of modern, and even dangerous content in a highly formalized style. The obvious trust between the artist and his subjects is central to Danto's reflections. The last essay, "Robert Mapplethorpe," is a reprint of the Whitney retrospective review that appeared in The Nation on September 26, 1988. Danto's engaging description reminds us that it was once possible to quietly contemplate Mapplethorpe's works in a public setting. Playing with the Edge: The Photographic Achievement of Robert Mapplethorpe is an essential purchase for all contemporary art history collections that did not acquire the 1992 Random House volume, and a highly recommended purchase for libraries that did in order to enhance access to Danto's meaningful essays. It is a sturdy and attractive publication, and contains notes, a chronology, an exhibition list, and an extensive bibliography. Whatever opinions one may hold about the merit of Robert Mapplethorpe's photography, Danto's lucid words are certain to illuminate unexpected facets of this man's art, life, and cultural significance. Nina Stephenson, University of New Mexico