Culture vultures of the capital city, gather round. A brand new photography exhibition will be arriving at the V&A this spring, and it’s set to be bloomin’ brilliant.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection will feature over 300 rare prints, many of which are on display for the very first time. The exhibition will mark 30 years of collecting for John and Furnish, and will feature work from 140 era-defining photographers.
Inside the exhibition
Set across eight sections, the collection will delve into themes including fashion, reportage, celebrity, the male body and American photography. The exhibition will span all the way from the 1950s to present day, featuring pivotal historical moments. Images from the Civil Rights movement in the sixties, AIDS activism in the eighties and the events of 9/11 will all be on display.
Standout pieces include a trio of images of Marilyn Monroe, taken by Richard Avedon, Eve Arnold and Bert Stern and a monumental installation of 149 prints from Nan Goldin’s Thanksgiving series. Images of The Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor and Aretha Franklin will also be on show.
The exhibition will be an unrivalled selection of work, uniting some of the world’s greatest photographers to tell the ‘personal and universal story of modern and contemporary photography’.
Sir Elton John and David Furnish said: “Since we first loaned a selection of Horst photographs to the V&A in 2014, our relationship with the museum has grown significantly.
“Fragile Beauty takes our collaboration to really exciting new heights, showcasing some of the most beloved photographers and iconic images from within our collection.”
