Robert Mapplethorpe was a Manhattan photographer and best known for his avant-garde images. His erotic art explored a wide range of sexual subjects, depicting female bodybuilders, the Gay BDSM subculture of New York in the 1970s, and classical nudes. Much of his work was considered obscene and sparked a debate in the United States concerning the Constitutional limits of free speech in art. Mapplethorpe died in 1989 at the age of 42 due to complications from HIV/AIDS. Here we see "Homage to Mapplethorpe," a Pop-Art tribute to the artist as a young man, and his final image (looming over his left shoulder) as a metaphor for Life/Death and free will. This mesmerizing tableau is quintessential New York City and perfect for the Best Photography Galleries in New York City.