V&A Fragile Beauty exhibition: Photos from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection, how to get tickets

Marina Licht
By Marina Licht
16th May 2024, 3:30pm
The V&A in London is presenting an exhibition of modern and contemporary photography, on loan from the private collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish. The V&A in London is presenting an exhibition of modern and contemporary photography, on loan from the private collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish.
The V&A in London is presenting an exhibition of modern and contemporary photography, on loan from the private collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish.
The V&A in London is presenting an exhibition of modern and contemporary photography, on loan from the private collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish.

If you happen to be visiting London soon, you will want to make sure you visit the V&A Fragile Beauty Exhibition, which features modern and contemporary photography, on loan from the private collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, the exhibition will feature prints from over 140 photographers and the majority of them will be on display to the general public for the very first time. 

This is not the first time Sir Elton John has displayed works from his photography collections, The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection was featured at the Tate Modern back in 2016. The Fragile Beauty exhibition that is to take place at London’s V&A will feature works by the likes of Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, William Eggleston, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi, Ai Weiwei, Carrie Mae Weems and others.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If you are lucky enough to visit the V&A Fragile Beauty exhibition, you will also be able to see portraits of stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Chet Baker, as well as images from pivotal moments in history such from the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and AIDS activism of the 1980s 

This picture is entitled Elton John, Egg On His Face, and was taken in New York, 1999 © David LaChapelle. It will feature as part of the exhibtion This picture is entitled Elton John, Egg On His Face, and was taken in New York, 1999 © David LaChapelle. It will feature as part of the exhibtion
This picture is entitled Elton John, Egg On His Face, and was taken in New York, 1999 © David LaChapelle. It will feature as part of the exhibtion

Sir Elton John and David Furnish commented on their forthcoming exhibition at the V& A and 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. Working alongside the V&A again has been a truly memorable experience, and we look forward to sharing this exhibition with the public.” 

This photograph is entitled Crying Men (Laurence Fishburne) and was taken in 2002, © Sam Taylor-JohnsonThis photograph is entitled Crying Men (Laurence Fishburne) and was taken in 2002, © Sam Taylor-Johnson
This photograph is entitled Crying Men (Laurence Fishburne) and was taken in 2002, © Sam Taylor-Johnson

When does the V&A Fragile Beauty exhibition open?

V&A Fragile Beauty exhibition: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection opens on 18 May and runs to 5 January 2025. It is situated in The Sainsbury Gallery at the V&A.

Can you book tickets for the V&A Fragile Beauty exhibition?

Members can go for free, but if you want to book tickets, they are £20, click here to purchase them. Please be aware that the exhibition contains adult themes, including depictions of substance use, death, nudity and sexual intercourse.

Related topics:Elton JohnTicketsV&ALondonMarilyn MonroeTate Modern

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.