Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
ARTIST ROOMS
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Art Fund
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/robert-mapplethorpe-11413" aria-label="More by Robert Mapplethorpe" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Robert Mapplethorpe</a>
Patti Smith
ARTIST ROOMS
Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008
actions: postures and motions
adults
arm / arms raised
arts and entertainment
clothing and personal items
individuals: female
musician
named individuals
objects
people
portraits
shirt
singer
Smith, Patti
tie
woman
work and occupations
<p>In this black and white portrait photograph the singer-songwriter Patti Smith is framed from her waist up and stands against a plain white background. She wears a loose white shirt which is roughly rolled up at the sleeves, with the top buttons undone. A thin chain hangs around her neck, the rest of which is tucked under her shirt, and a thin black band is worn on her right wrist. A black ribbon with a dulled shine and frayed ends is draped loosely around her neck. Smith tugs one end of the ribbon with her left hand, gripping it with two fingers. This introduces a diagonal to the composition that contrasts with the dark vertical line down the centre of the image where the ribbon falls from Smith’s neck in front of her body towards her waist. The singer’s right arm is raised and bent at the elbow. Her wrist bends delicately towards her face while her fingers form a loose fist. This raised arm causes the axis of her body to slope diagonally in the same direction as the ribbon she is holding. Smith looks directly at the camera. Her eyes are narrowed very slightly and her mouth is partially open. Her dark tousled hair frames her face and neck, while her fringe covers her forehead.</p>
paper print photograph gelatin silver
26 April 2009 – 27 June 2009
2009-06-27
26 April 2009 – 27 June 2009
2009-06-27
2009-04-26
Inverness Museum & Art Gallery (Inverness, UK)
http://www.invernessmuseum.com
2009-04-26
ARTIST ROOMS 2009: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
19 December 2009 – 27 March 2010
2010-03-27
19 December 2009 – 27 March 2010
2010-03-27
2009-12-19
Graves Art Gallery (Sheffield, UK)
http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/coresite/html/graves.asp
2009-12-19
ARTIST ROOMS 2009: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
25 September 2010 – 21 November 2010
2010-11-21
25 September 2010 – 21 November 2010
2010-11-21
2010-09-25
Towner (Eastbourne, UK)
http://www.townereastbourne.org.uk/
2010-09-25
ARTIST ROOMS 2010: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
10 November 2012 – 27 April 2013
2013-04-27
10 November 2012 – 27 April 2013
2013-04-27
2012-11-10
Perth Museum & Art Gallery (Perth, UK)
http://www.pkc.gov.uk/
2012-11-10
ARTIST ROOMS 2012: Mapplethorpe Scottish Tour
Loan-out
9 May 2014 – 26 October 2014
2014-10-26
9 May 2016 – 26 October 2016
2016-10-26
2016-05-09
Tate Modern (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
2014-05-09
Mapplethorpe Self Portraits and Portraits
Collection based display
28 February 2015 – 23 May 2015
2015-05-23
28 February 2015 – 23 May 2015
2015-05-23
2015-02-28
Clydebank Museum (Clydebank, UK)
2015-02-28
ARTIST ROOMS 2015: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
8 August 2015 – 7 November 2015
2015-11-07
8 August 2015 – 7 November 2015
2015-11-07
2015-08-08
Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Aberystwyth, UK)
2015-08-08
ARTIST ROOMS 2015: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
28 November 2015 – 26 April 2016
2016-04-26
28 November 2015 – 26 April 2016
2016-04-26
2015-11-28
Bowes Museum (Barnard Castle, UK)
http://www.bowesmuseum.org.uk
2015-11-28
ARTIST ROOMS 2015: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
15 December 2018 – 23 March 2019
2019-03-23
15 December 2018 – 23 March 2019
2019-03-23
2018-12-15
Atkinson Art Gallery (Southport, UK)
2018-12-15
ARTIST ROOMS 2018: Robert Mapplethorpe
Loan-out
Patti Smith
support: 341 × 341 mm
frame: 613 × 587 × 38 mm
<a href="/search?gid=999999788" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">ARTIST ROOMS</a>
Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the <a href="/search?gid=999999967" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">National Heritage Memorial Fund</a> and the <a href="/search?gid=999999968" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Art Fund</a> 2008
<div class="text">
<p>In this black and white portrait photograph the singer-songwriter Patti Smith is framed from her waist up and stands against a plain white background. She wears a loose white shirt which is roughly rolled up at the sleeves, with the top buttons undone. A thin chain hangs around her neck, the rest of which is tucked under her shirt, and a thin black band is worn on her right wrist. A black ribbon with a dulled shine and frayed ends is draped loosely around her neck. Smith tugs one end of the ribbon with her left hand, gripping it with two fingers. This introduces a diagonal to the composition that contrasts with the dark vertical line down the centre of the image where the ribbon falls from Smith’s neck in front of her body towards her waist. The singer’s right arm is raised and bent at the elbow. Her wrist bends delicately towards her face while her fingers form a loose fist. This raised arm causes the axis of her body to slope diagonally in the same direction as the ribbon she is holding. Smith looks directly at the camera. Her eyes are narrowed very slightly and her mouth is partially open. Her dark tousled hair frames her face and neck, while her fringe covers her forehead.</p>
<p>This photograph was taken by Robert Mapplethorpe in 1975 at Sam Wagstaff’s penthouse apartment on Fifth Avenue, New York. Sam Wagstaff was a private art collector and was one of the first to collect photography in the early 1970s before there was a serious market for it. Mapplethorpe was Wagstaff’s lover and protégé until the collector’s death in 1987. Mapplethorpe chose Wagstaff’s apartment as the location for the shoot as it was large, had white walls and was bathed in natural light.</p>
<p>The portrait was taken during a session in which Mapplethorpe was shooting the cover image for Patti Smith’s first album <i>Horses</i> (1975).<i> </i>Smith provides an account of this shoot in her autobiography, recalling details such as her choice of clothing and how she and Mapplethorpe waited for the perfect light. According to Smith there was no discussion about what the resulting image should look like or what they would do: ‘I had my look in mind. He had his light in mind. That was all.’ (Smith 2010, p.251.)</p>
<p>Smith looks relaxed in this photograph, her informal pose testifying to how at ease she was in front of Mapplethorpe’s camera. Smith herself chose Mapplethorpe to photograph her album cover image as she wanted it to be ‘true’ (Smith 2010, p.249). It is clear that Mapplethorpe consciously created Smith’s pose and was aware of the dynamic angles created by the composition. As he said, ‘It’s always been that way when I put things together. Very symmetrical’ (cited in Didion 1992, p.3).</p>
<p>This is one of many portraits that Mapplethorpe took of Smith during their lifelong friendship (see also Tate <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/mapplethorpe-patti-smith-ar00495" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>AR00495</span></a> and <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/mapplethorpe-patti-smith-ar00186" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>AR00186</span></a>). Indeed, apart from his self portraits, Smith was Mapplethorpe’s most photographed subject. During this particular shoot twelve pictures were taken, one of which was used as Smith’s album cover. In 1988 Mapplethorpe also shot the cover for Smith’s album <i>Dream of Life</i>.</p>
<p>
<b>Further reading</b>
<br/>Richard Marshall, <i>Robert Mapplethorpe</i>,<i> </i>London 1988.<br/>Joan Didion, <i>Some Women: By Robert Mapplethorpe, </i>London 1992, pp.1–3.<br/>Patti Smith, <i>Just Kids</i>,<i> </i>London 2010.</p>
<p>Susan Mc Ateer<br/>The University of Edinburgh<br/>January 2013</p>
<p>
<i>The University of Edinburgh is a research partner of ARTIST ROOMS</i>.</p>
</div>

Summary
2013-06-27T00:00:00
summary
SHORT_TEXT
<p>This portrait of the American singer-songwriter, Patti Smith, was taken in the same year that her first album, ‘Horses’, appeared. Indeed, this photograph was taken during the same session in which the album’s cover image was shot. Mapplethorpe and Smith had lived together in the late 1960s and remained close friends after they parted. In this photograph Mapplethorpe captures Smith’s unconventional and androgynous side. The pose looks very informal, but Mapplethorpe has taken care to align the verticals of the tie and the side of Smith’s face and has set up a series of diagonals with her arms and the other half of the tie.</p>

Online caption
2009-04-16T00:00:00
online-caption
ONLINE_CAPTION
actions: postures and motions adults arm / arms raised arts and entertainment clothing and personal items individuals: female musician named individuals objects people portraits shirt singer Smith, Patti tie woman work and occupations