Inside Elton John and David Furnish's photography collection

From Elton John and David Furnish's photography collection, image offace with skin coloured mask on

(Image credit: © Gillian Wearing, courtesy Maureen Paley, London, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York and Regen Projects, Los Angeles)

By Hannah Silver

published 22 May 2024

in Features

Over the years, avid photography fans Elton John and David Furnish have amassed a collection of more than 7,000 images. Now, over 300 rare prints by 140 photographers have gone on show for the new V&A exhibition, ‘Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection’ (running until 5 January 2025).

elton john with eggs on his face, drinking tea — David LaChapelle, *Elton John, Egg On His Face, New York*, *1999*

Delve into Elton John and David Furnish’s photography collection

Spanning from 1950 to the present day, the London exhibition is divided into eight themes, from reportage and the male body to American photography and celebrity. Featured works from artists such as Carrie Mae Weems, Cindy Sherman, Robert Mapplethorpe and Diane Arbus are exhibited alongside fashion photography from Irving Penn, Horst P Horst and Herb Ritts.

Highlights of the collection, including intimate portraits of Marilyn Monroe taken during the later years of her life and Nan Goldin’s full, 149-image Thanksgiving series, nod to the juxtaposition of strength and beauty, a theme that runs throughout.

‘Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection’ is on show until 5 January 2025 at the V&A, London, vam.ac.uk

A version of this article appears in the June 2024 Travel Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

Doris Day with coloured poodles — *Doris Day Poodles, April in Paris*, *1950*, by John Florea

Men laughing together — *Nan Goldin, Clemens, Jens and Nicolas Laughing at Le Pulp, Paris, 1999*

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Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.