Robert Mapplethorpe is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the late twentieth century, and the group of photographs in ARTIST ROOMS as among the best collections of his work in existence. It includes studies of flowers, iconic-self portraits, and portraits of many of the most influential artists, writers and musicians of the period, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote and Patti Smith.

For this exhibition at Tate Modern a group of important self-portraits by Mapplethorpe will be shown for the first time. The Tate's photographic holdings include works by many of the most important artists ever to work in the medium, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bruce Davidson, Don McCullin, Irving Penn, Jeff Wall and many others, and thus represents an appropriate venue for the exhibition of an artist who challenged its conventions to produce images at once beautiful and shocking.

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