Frank Herrera (American, 1940) Mapplethorpe Projection on the Corcoran, 1989 Toned gelatin silver print 17-1/2 x 21-3/4 inches (44.5 x 55.2 cm) (image) 20 x 24 inches (sheet) Signed, titled, editioned 1/10, and inscribed 'Aperture 50th Anniversary Edition' in pencil, verso. LITERATURE: Artforum International, September, 1989, illustrated on cover. This photograph shows the protest of the cancellation of "Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment," June 30, 1989, Washington, D.C.. The retrospective exhibition was to take place just months after Mapplethorpe's AIDS-related death. Partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, it became the target of conservative lawmakers' push against obscene art. In protest, supporters projected giant images of Mapplethorpe's photographs on the side of the Corcoran. The fallout was immense: dozens of artists cancelled their upcoming Corcoran shows, the museum's director resigned, and the Corcoran's reputation never recovered, with sharp declines in fundraising and revenue eventually leading to the gallery's closing in 2014. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved