There is much to be mesmerised and dazzled by in this exhibition that showcases the best of Sir Elton John and David Furnish’s photography collection.
The depth and range of this exhibition can not and should not be underestimated, featuring the work of many esteemed photographers and highlighting the sharp eye that Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish have in selecting memorable pieces of photography.
Divided into categories such as reportage, fashion, stars of the artistic industry, desire and constructed images this is an exhibition that has been cleverly divided into themes that are easy to process in an elegant and classy way.
Featuring work by an extraordinary number of well known photographers such as Richard Avedon – including his individual portraits of individual members of The Beatles with subtle collar differences highlighting the subtlety photography in places, while Bob Willoughby’s ability to capture the passion of his subject is showcased including a gorgeous image of Billy Holliday singing at the Tiffany Club. It is an exhibition with something for everyone.
While the exhibition begins with lighter topics such as fashion (in which Frances McLaughlin-Gill’s Trans-American Suits for Vogue is a stand out photograph in its simplicity and elegance), and stars of the screen, stage and studio (which understandably visitors will linger the most on), Fragile Beauty really finds depth and meaning in the reportage and constructed images sections – both of which manage to pack a punch in different ways.
In the Reportage section, it highlights so many different issues and once again proves the adage of ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ – from images focusing on the Civil Rights era, the struggle and right to protest in outrage of the Vietnam war, political assassinations to more recent defining historical moments including AIDS activism (there is a particularly powerful series of images captured by Ai Weiwei titled Protesting Doctors, AIDS parade which is worth lingering over). This is a real selection of images that show the importance of capturing history through photography, with Richard Drew’s image of The Fallen Man taken on September 11th 2001 highlighting the horror of this terrorist attack as does Jeff Mermeistein’s haunting and confronting series of images from the same day.
Meanwhile, in the constructed images section it brings even more of a confrontation of important issues designed to challenge the way in which we think. Photographer and director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s images of actors such as Robin Williams, Michael Gambon and Daniel Craig crying is a constructed image but just as powerfully – makes a point that men should not be afraid to show vulnerability and is a powerful statement.
It is clear throughout each section that each photograph that forms part of the collection is powerful emotionally – it shows how photography can bare all all, with works such as John Filo’s The Grieving Student at Kent State, taken at the university when the Ohio National guard fired at students protesting against the Vietnam war or Boris Yaro’s horrific but compelling image capturing the aftermath of the shooting of Robert F. Kennedy or the collection of photographs highlighting racial segregation it all triggers powerful responses from the viewer.
Perhaps there are some sections that feel over blown and whelming – particularly in the Fragile Beauty section in which an immersive installation Nan Goldin images that is too much to take in at once. It would have been wonderful for Sir Elton John and David Furnish to have a bit more of voice into what attracted them to specific images to add a sense of what this collection means to them – but perhaps this is a minor complaint in what is a fascinating exhibition.
Overall, there is much to mull over on leaving this exhibition and if you love photography you will not want to miss it.
By Emma Clarendon
Fragile Beauty is on display until the 5th January 2025.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐