Eight years after Sir Elton John and David Furnish's 2016 show in Tate Modern, the iconic duo is back inside a major London museum headlining a new exhibition they dubbed: "Fragile Beauty," where they showcased their phenomenal taste in art and fashion through photographs.
The highly anticipated show opened last Wednesday, May 15 at London's famed Victoria and Albert Museum. John and Furnish arrived at the event donning custom and opulent pieces from renowned fashion house Gucci, which is consequentially the pair's partner for the exhibition.
(Photo : Natasha Campos/Getty Images for CAA)
About V&A Museum's 'Fragile Beauty' Exhibition
Opening this coming Saturday, May 18 for the general public, John and Furnish's latest offering to the art and culture scene is a testament to their passion for photography and dedication to sharing that fervor with the world through their extensive collection.
The exhibition showcases more than 300 rare prints from 140 various big-name photographers, making the collection V&A Museum's biggest temporary photography show in its entire history.
That said, the highlighted pieces are only a fraction of the pair's personal collection of over 7,000 photos. Nonetheless, all of John and Furnish's owned pieces explore the common thematic connection between vulnerability and strength, something the show focuses on.
As for the period covered by the exhibition, it spans from 1950 to today, with a headlining installation that comprises 149 of Nan Goldin's prints from her "Thanksgiving" series.
It also amalgamates the work of photography's numerous global frontrunners, which include Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, William Eggleston, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi, Ai Weiwei, and Carrie Mae Weems.
In addition, new pieces from Tyler Mitchell, Trevor Paglen, and An-My Lê are also showcased at the exhibition, all of which mingle with some of John's very first acquisitions like his fashion photographs taken by Horst P. Horst, Irving Penn, and Herb Ritts.
Sectioned through eight themes, "Fragile Beauty" is the manifestation of John and Furnish's three-decade-long commitment to the arts and was made possible by their uniquely appreciative eyes as collectors, something visitors can experience for themselves soon.
For more information on the "Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection," in partnership with Gucci, click here.
