Some artists ask to be admired. Robert Mapplethorpe’s work asks to be confronted…. The first time I encountered Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs, I was absolutely captivated. There was something hauntingly beautiful about his work. Something mysterious. Something difficult to put into words. His photographs held my attention I found myself staring, looking closer, unable to simply glance and move on. As I explored his images, I experienced a wide range of emotions. Some photographs felt undeniably beautiful. Others made me uncomfortable. Some challenged my own assumptions about art, sexuality, beauty, and the boundaries of what should or should not be shown. What struck me most was not that I always understood…