Robert Mapplethorpe: Le forme del desiderio
Forthcoming: Palazzo Reale, Milan, Italy
29 January – 17 May 2026
Palazzo Reale, Milan presents ‘Le forme del desiderio’, a solo exhibition of work by Robert Mapplethorpe. The second of a trilogy, the exhibition in Milan follows ‘Le forme de classico’ at Le Stanze della Fotografia, Venice.
Exhibiting a broad and previously unseen selection of Mapplethorpe’s most iconic works, the show offers a unique opportunity to encounter the works of one of the most original and refined American photographer of the 20th century.
Curated by Le Stanze della Fotografia’s artistic director, Denis Curti, this retrospective show is organised and promoted by Marsilio Arte and Fondazione Giorgio Cini in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. The final act ‘Le forme della bellezza’ will open at Museo dell’Ara Pacis in Rome.
The exhibition series is accompanied by ‘Mapplethorpe Unframed’, a podcast series written and hosted by Nicolas Ballario, available on all major streaming platforms. The exhibition catalogue, published by Marsilio Arte, explores the vast production and evolution of Mapplethorpe’s artistic language through 257 works.