Gun Blast 1985

Curator: Robert Mapplethorpe's photograph, "Gun Blast," presents us with a stark image: a hand holding a revolver, caught in the moment of firing. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of unease. The high contrast, the sudden burst of light against the black... it feels violent, stark, even theatrical. Curator: The gun, a Smith & Wesson, is clearly the focal point. Think about Mapplethorpe's interest in fetishizing objects, in isolating forms. The gun here becomes a symbol, divorced from any specific context. Editor: And yet, we can't ignore the social context, can we? Mapplethorpe made this during a time of rising gun violence. He’s forcing us to confront the power, the danger, embedded in this object. Curator: Indeed. The beam of light emanating from the barrel could symbolize power, aggression, but also vulnerability, given Mapplethorpe's own battles with illness. It is a loaded image, to be sure. Editor: Mapplethorpe's stark aesthetic asks us to confront difficult ideas and to question the role of images within cultural conflicts. Food for thought, indeed.