'Lady: Lisa Lyon' by Robert Mapplethorpe (1983) 1st Edition
'Lady: Lisa Lyon,' is a groundbreaking 1983 photography book and collaboration between American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and pioneering female bodybuilder Lisa Lyon.
Here are the key facts about their famous collaboration:
- Who They Were: Lisa Lyon was the world's first professional female bodybuilding champion (crowned in 1979). Mapplethorpe was a famous, boundary-pushing photographer who used classical art rules to frame the human body.
- The Meeting: They met at a New York party in 1979. Lyon wore a black rubber outfit, which instantly caught Mapplethorpe's eye.
- The Partnership: They became great friends and worked together for six years. Mapplethorpe took over 200 black-and-white portraits of her.
- The Book: The 1983 photo book Lady: Lisa Lyon features Lyon in many different forms. She poses as a strong athlete, a classic Hollywood star, and an everyday woman.
- The Meaning: The photos aimed to break old gender rules. By mixing masculine strength with very soft, feminine styling, Mapplethorpe showed how strong women can be deeply beautiful and artistic.
In the more than one hundred black-and-white photos in the book, Lyon exhibits both classical beauty and strength; Mapplethorpe dedicates the book to his friend, singer Patti Smith. The photography of Mapplethorpe is a good to thing to contemplate around Valentine’s Day. It both questions and is grounded by classical ideals of beauty and love, looking at how these ideals affect how we relate to ourselves and others. (The Guggenhaim)
Language : English
ISBN-10 : 0670430137
ISBN-13 : 978-0670430130
Item weight : 454 g
Dimensions : 17.78 x 2.54 x 12.7 cm