The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection will run at Tate Modern from the 10th November until the 7th May 2017.
Drawn from the collection of international star Sir Elton John, this exhibition will present a wide range of photography dating from the 1920’s to the 1950’s, filled with classic modernist images.
The Tate Modern’s newly announced photography display will feature over 150 works from more than sixty artists, consisting mainly of rare vintage prints – all created by the artists themselves.
This new exhibition will feature works by the likes of Man Ray, André Kertész, Berenice Abbot, Alexandr Rodchenko and Edward Steichen to offer visitors a new perspective of the work that they creates and a rare chance to see it up close.
As well as the opportunity to tell the history of modernist photography in this way, it is also the first collaboration between Tate Modern and Sir Elton John collection in what is set to be a long term relationship.
Often referred to as the ‘coming of age’ period for the medium, when artists were able to use photography as a tool in which to redefine visions of the modern world. The purpose of the exhibition is to show how timeless genres such as the portrait and nudes were reimagined through the lens.
Talking about the collaboration with Tate Modern, Sir Elton John said: “It is a great honour for David and I to lend part of our collection to Tate Modern for this groundbreaking exhibition. The modernist era in photography is one of the key moments within the medium and collecting work from this period has brought me great joy over the last 25 years.”
Highlights of the exhibition will include portraits of great cultural figures of the 20th century, including Georgia O’Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston by Tina Modotti, Jean Cocteau by Berenice Abbott and Igor Stravinsky by Edward Weston.
Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said: “This will be a truly unique exhibition. There are few collections of modernist photography in the UK, so we are delighted that Sir Elton John has allowed us to draw on his incredible collection and give everyone a chance to see these iconic works. Coming face-to-face with such masterpieces of photography will be a rare and rewarding experience.”
The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection will run at the Tate Modern from the 10th November until the 7th May 2017.