Elton John and David Furnish certainly know about the esteem of beautiful art. Their curating eye - prolific in nature - stems from their own deep personal wealth of creativity; as a pair, they are iconic. The former is no stranger to paramount beauty, being one of music’s most celebrated stars, with particular praise for his fashion and self-presentation. Furnish, his husband is a renowned filmmaker in his own right, and with his precise oeuvre, he and John amassed one of the world’s finest photography collections. Their collection is traditional and camp simultaneously, dipping toes in separate pools of artistic thought. It proves, however, that their taste is immaculate, and the new display of their archives proves to be just that.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is a series truly unlike any other. In partnership with Gucci, the series highlights some of their most profound and spectacular works, from black and white to kaleidoscopic displays of color. Through their collection, we are taken on a journey through contemporary photography's history; through their works, we engulf ourselves in the medium like no other exhibition can. Every angle is presented in stunning detail, and every voice can be heard. Because of Fragile Beauty, the lives of the ordinary man become marvelous, and our imaginations come to life right before our eyes. The series will be presented at South Kensington’s V&A beginning May 18th, 2024.
In 2016, John presented The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern, giving the world its first glimpse into his stunning photography anthology. Fragile Beauty is considered a sequel, providing a more in-depth and wide-ranging look at their immense collection. The series showcases works from masters like Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, William Eggleston, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi, Ai Weiwei, Carrie Mae Weems, and others. They are individual pieces of the puzzle that complete contemporary photography’s story. Without each of them, it would genuinely feel incomplete.
Elton John is an icon in every physical and metaphorical sense of the word. His music, outfits, and grand personality have garnered him this particular status, and he earned it the hard way. Modern society loosely throws the word “icon” to every rising star; few truly achieve recognition. His eye for epochal contemporaries is unmatched, and Fragile Beauty gives us a formidable glimpse at some of the most influential artists and entertainers. Such a status can elevate one to a mythic echelon, but John and Furnish’s photographs bring morality to these figures. They, like us, are human beings, and the intimate images of such God-like individuals make them feel more familiar than ever. Chet Baker’s trumpet and gaze seem within our grasp, and he speaks to us like never before. John and Furnish have such a uniquely incredible ability to bring out the humanity in artists, and their selections prove to be incredibly important in understanding not just the subjects but the meaning of art itself.
John and Funish’s collection shows us that photography, like all other art forms, draws on the past to create the present. John used classic rhythm and blues artists, and Furnish used archetypal filmmakers; both drew inspiration from their predecessors. The wide range of Fragile Beauty is perhaps the most triumphant element of the series, and looking at photographs separated by 70 years is truly remarkable. They show differences, yes, but they show that modern photographers continue to draw on some of the traditions of their forefathers, adding hints of nostalgia to each of their pieces. This is stunningly apparent in the black-and-white selections. However, no one image takes control of another. Instead, we travel through each of them like a novel, each telling a different story yet feeding off of each other with a friendly energy. Even in black and white, the power jumps from the image and resonates deep within us.
Tyler Mitchell’s work immediately comes to the forefront, and his photograph Simply Fragile is one of the most intimately beautiful images in the entire series. His choice of color is remarkably soothing, with no one shade jumping out at us to grab our attention. Instead, we are guided with a calming hand, fully absorbing the impact of the work. In Mitchell’s world, nothing is wrong, and there is no strife, only what exists now. Examining such an image instills feelings of warmth and gratitude; it grounds the series. Mitchell’s work proves to be the tonic we all desire, and through him, we are healed.
Fragile Beauty shows us that the story of contemporary photography still needs to be completed. Each of us has a voice that craves a listening ear, and this series is incredibly inspirational in the pursuit of individuality. John and Furnish are singular in their own right, and each of their selected images could stand alone as the focal point of their series. We are to use these images as the roadmap for our self-discovery, each one being all the more beneficial to our journey. As we springboard into the following chapters of life, we feel motivated and safe, and we thank Elton John and David Furnish for this.