Artists

Robert Mapplethorpe

Press release

Robert Mapplethorpe. The Forms of Desire comes to Milan with an extensive and previously unseen selection of the most iconic, powerful, and unconventional works by the American photographer, one of the most original, refined, and controversial artists of the twentieth century.

The exhibition will be staged in the galleries of Palazzo Reale from 29 January to 17 May 2026 and is part of the cultural programme of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Curated by Denis Curti, the retrospective represents the second chapter of a broader trilogy that began in Venice at Le Stanze della Fotografia and will continue in Rome. Each event explores a distinct path of study and research, focusing on a different aspect of Mapplethorpe’s artistic figure.

In Milan, the curator guides the public on a journey through the photographer’s aesthetic research, from his sensual nudes, distinguished by their formal perfection, to an Olympic, Greek-inspired mimesis in which musculature and physical tension take centre stage.

Accompanying the exhibition are the podcast Mapplethorpe Unframed—written and hosted by Nicolas Ballario and available from 21 October on Spotify, Apple Music, and major platforms—and the exhibition catalogue published by Marsilio Arte, which examines Mapplethorpe’s vast body of work and the evolution of his visual language through 257 works.

An exhibition promoted by the City of Milan – Culture Department, produced by Palazzo Reale and Marsilio Arte, in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, New York.

Curated by Denis Curti