A Place to Call Home
Explore the world of Fragile Beauty through the eyes of the Rocket Man himself. Decades of careful collection lead to the latest iconic exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
‘Fragile Beauty’ is ambiguous and weighted with a double meaning. Many say this is the perfect title for the latest exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum, curated by Sir Elton John and David Furnish. ‘Fragile Beauty’ becomes a rare and fascinating insight into the world of an iconic couple, whose obsession with photography has spanned decades. Each image represents the breadth of the human experience across the globe, taking us on a journey through time and allowing us, via the medium of photography to find the commonplace we all call home.
Somewhere around 1991, is where Elton John’s passion for the still image was first ignited. This began only several months after becoming sober for the first time, following years of drinking and drug addiction in a very public space. Finally, in a place of calm, he stumbled upon the work of iconic fashion photographer Irvin Penn, whilst at a friend's house party. He was immediately drawn to the beauty of the image but also the iconic use of symmetry and sharp lines so commonly adopted by Penn. Elton John was spellbound by the ability that Penn’s work had to transport him to another place entirely. From this day, his more than thirty-year photographic obsession was born. He began collecting photography, he would soon become one of the nation's biggest photographic collectors, striving to preserve some of the world’s most treasured imagery forever.
A life on stage and screen found Sir Elton John increasingly drawn to the still image and as the years rolled by his collection grew and grew. After meeting his now Husband, David Furnish, the pair today own some of the world’s most iconic images both living with the work in their homes and sharing these images with galleries and art institutions across the globe. The duo’s latest endeavour comes in the form of ‘Fragile Beauty’. The exhibition features over 300 rare prints and over 140 individual photographers from the pair’s collection. Amongst this esteemed body of work, are the likes of photograhy from Nan Goldin, Tyler Mitchell, Robert Mapplethorpe, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi, David LaChapelle and so many more.
‘Fragile Beauty: Photographs from Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection’ is open at the V&A museum until 5th January 2025. Elton John is an artist with such a strong visual identity that has shaped and transformed pop culture for decades and so to see the world almost through his eyes is a rare glimpse into the mind of an icon. In 2016, the pair hosted the ‘Radical Eye’ exhibition at the Tate Modern, London. This played host to photographs such as Dorothea Lange’s ‘The Migrant Mother’ and Man Ray’s ‘Glass Tears’ along with so many more. This was the first exhibition curated by Sir Elton John himself. Since this initial exhibition in 2016, it’s fascinating to look back and consider the significant changes that have happened all over the globe and how those changes will affect the work they both choose to place in ‘Fragile Beauty’ in 2024.
‘Fragile Beauty’ spans from black and white film photography, right through to digital images in the present day. Nothing seems to be off limits for this collection, no subject is untouched. The pair tackle difficult and controversial moments in history, speaking of tragedy, love and loss in its most harrowing form. This work is a documentation of change and preservation of history and includes moments documented from the Civil Rights Movement, 80's Aids activism, and the aftermath of 9/11, highlighting the importance of photography not just as an art form, but as a vehicle for reportage.
This vast and complex collection of photographs is separated into eight thematic sections, arranged into eras across the space at the Victoria & Albert Museum. It appears to be important to Sir Elton John and David Furnish to demonstrate the evolution of photography, speaking not only about how the still image has changed, but how society has with it.
“Whether [visitors] are fans of Elton’s music or photography afficionados, the diversity of the collection has allowed us to select a range of works for display, and we hope there is something for everyone. Each section journeys across the recent history of photography, with some known photographs and some perhaps entirely new to our visitors”
Lydia Caston, Head Curator at The Victoria & Albert Museum
Sir Elton John himself has been photographed by some of the world's most remained photographers over the years including the likes of David LaChappelle and Irvin Penn, both featured within this collection. However he often describes how he was ‘always blind to the magic of photography because I hated having my picture taken’. Once he discovered the power of the camera, his passion was unlocked and now in this all too rare mid-summer treat we can view some of the pair's most iconic photographic images, that will go down in history, preserved for decades. The work holds a mirror up to the society we live in, provoking us to ask questions about the world around us and assess how time has changed as the photographic medium has evolved.
Fragile Beauty runs at the Victoria and Albert Museum until January 5, 2025.