Among the motifs considered to be typically Mapplethorpe--i.e. nudes, portraits, black men, and the New York gay scene--flowers had a firmly-established (albeit less spectacular) position. The first date from the seventies; the last were taken shortly before his death. Design was also dominant here; the perfect, emphatically artifical arrangement. And in the final analysis, he was also concerned with the same subject: stylizing sexuality into a still life. Under Mapplethorpe's gaze, flowers lose their mellifluous-ness and innocent symbolism. They suddenly reveal a perfidious, at times decadent, eloquence. Once again one encounters two things in their utmost perfection: erotic drama and absolute clarity of composition--the celestial poles and quintessence of Mapplethorpe's work. His long-time partner, singer-songwriter Patti Smith, composed a farewell poem for this volume.

Patti Smith is a writer, visual artist, and performer. Her New York Times bestselling book Just Kids was awarded the 2010 National Book Award for Nonfiction. She is the recipient of France's highest honor for a living artist, the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, as well as the Polar Award, one of the most distinguished music prizes. Her album Horses was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and is number 44 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2008, Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2010 she received ASCAP's Founders Award for lifetime achievement. Her books include Witt, Babel, Woolgathering, The Coral Sea, Auguries of Innocence, and M Train.

Patti Smith is a writer, visual artist, and performer. Her New York Times bestselling book Just Kids was awarded the 2010 National Book Award for Nonfiction. She is the recipient of France's highest honor for a living artist, the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, as well as the Polar Award, one of the most distinguished music prizes. Her album Horses was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and is number 44 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2008, Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2010 she received ASCAP's Founders Award for lifetime achievement. Her books include Witt, Babel, Woolgathering, The Coral Sea, Auguries of Innocence, and M Train.