Elton John and David Furnish talk with Christie's Head of Photographs Darius Himes

 

‘A photograph brings me so much joy, they’re beautiful objects,’ says Sir Elton John, discussing a remarkable collection of 25 works by some of the world’s greatest photographers, to be offered at Christie’s in New York on 6 April 2017. Proceeds from the sale of these works will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), an international non-profit organisation founded by the celebrated recording artist 25 years ago with the mission of ending the AIDS epidemic.
Commemorating the foundation’s 25th year, this special auction holds great personal significance for the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning star. ‘It’s my 70th birthday, and the 50th anniversary of my songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin,’ he explains.

Artists and estates that have donated to the auction include Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Misrach and Cindy Sherman. ‘They’ve been amazingly generous,’ Sir Elton continues, acknowledging the consistent support his foundation has received from the creative industries.
Filmed in his LA home, this interview offers a glimpse of some of the works in Sir Elton’s own collection, which is hailed as one of the greatest private collections in the world. He reveals it has been largely acquired while on tour and from galleries across the world. ‘You always find something different; that’s what I love about photography,’ he says. The exhibition Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection  is on show at Tate Modern in London until 21 May.

You can watch the video HERE.