Entering the rooms of Palazzo Reale dedicated to Robert Mapplethorpe means confronting a concept of photography that demands attention rather than consensus. The images do not seek to seduce the viewer through provocation; instead, they impose a formal severity that precedes and governs desire. The exhibition, titled 'Robert Mapplethorpe. The Forms of Desire,' clearly reflects the deeply classical nature of an artist often reduced to the role of a scandalous icon.

The exhibition path is structured into sections featuring over two hundred works, traversing the entirety of the American photographer's creative journey, from his experimental years to his stylistic maturity. A strong coherence emerges from his research, which, beyond the subjects he addressed, remains faithful to one principle: form as the foundation of the image. Mapplethorpe does not photograph to tell a story but to construct an idea of absolute, controlled, and sometimes unyielding beauty. His work invites viewers to engage deeply with the conceptual underpinnings of art rather than merely react to visual stimuli.

Ultimately, this exhibition offers an opportunity to recalibrate the perception of Mapplethorpe's oeuvre, urging audiences to move past the sensationalism that tends to overshadow his legacy. By presenting his works in a space dedicated to exploring desire in all its complexity, Palazzo Reale elevates the discourse surrounding contemporary photography and its vital connection to classical aesthetics.