I went into photography because it seemed like the perfect vehicle for commenting on the madness of today’s existence. – Robert Mapplethorpe
I played around with the flowers and the lighting, so that was a good way to educate myself. – Robert Mapplethorpe
I don’t believe in dogmas and theologies. I just believe in being a good person. – Robert Mapplethorpe
Sell the public flowers… things that they can hang on their walls without being uptight. – Robert Mapplethorpe
People don’t have time to wait for somebody to paint their portraits anymore. The money is in photography. – Robert Mapplethorpe
When I have sex with someone I forget who I am. For a minute I even forget I’m human. It’s the same thing when I’m behind a camera. I forget I exist. – Robert Mapplethorpe
I always thought I was good. That’s why it was so frustrating when other people didn’t agree. – Robert Mapplethorpe
I see things like they’ve never been seen before. Art is an accurate statement of the time in which it is made. – Robert Mapplethorpe
I am obsessed with beauty. I want everything to be perfect, and of course it isn’t. And that’s a tough place to be because you’re never satisfied. – Robert Mapplethorpe
Whenever you make love to someone, there should be three people involved – you, the other person, and the devil. – Robert Mapplethorpe
You’re never going to get anywhere in life if you don’t live up to your obligations. – Robert Mapplethorpe
I would never have done what I’d done if I’d considered my father as somebody I wanted to please. – Robert Mapplethorpe
My theory about creativity is that the more money one has, the more creative one can be. – Robert Mapplethorpe
With photography, you zero in; you put a lot of energy into short moments, and then you go on to the next thing. – Robert Mapplethorpe
My lifestyle is bizarre, but the only thing you need to know is where the darkroom is. – Robert Mapplethorpe
The photographs that are art have to be separated from the rest – then preserved. – Robert Mapplethorpe