This work was not made with the intent of having political or ideological framework, rather he simply photographed what he thought was beautiful and otherwise treated all subjects with the same treatment, whether they were penises or flowers. Specifically, his work from the early 1980s, which featured graphic depictions of homoerotic or S&M based imagery, and his fascination with black nude male bodies.
He was able to bring photography into major museums during the course of his career, most notably one of his final shows at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1989, and many museums posthumously.
During Mapplethorpe's lifetime, photography wasn't a respected means of art making as it is today. His utilitarian use of the medium resulted in a revolution for art photography. He is considered a formalist for his sculptural use of photography and often listed Michelangelo as a primary influence.