The Radical Eye – Tate Modern

The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography From The Sir Elton John Collection
10 November – 7 May 2017

Elton John’s collection of photography is immense. Most are black and white portraits including Irvine Penns abstract images of Elton John himself. This exhibition is a fantastic was of seeing some of the most influential images from the last century. Favourite photographers include, Man Ray, Dorothea Lange, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy and ….

To own one of these iconic images would be amazing. A video of Elton Johns flat takes you around the rooms and corridors decorated with photographs. Some photographs are mounted only a few feet from the ground whilst others are almost touching the ceiling, time for a bigger flat Elton?

Besides the images there is something striking and unusual about the exhibition, the framing. All the photographs are mounted in ornate mainly gold frames, which normally are associated with Constable or Turner paintings. This does not work for me as I find they distract from the images, however you do gain a slight insight into Elton Johns artistic mind.

For me this is an exhibition you have to see. There are so many photographs that I have read about and studied, amazingly all in one collection, astonishing. Book your ticket and enjoy!

Here are a few highlights:-

Igor Stravinsky Edward Weston

Rudolf koppitz movement study 1925
Carbon print on paper

Edward Steichen Gloria Swanson

Edward Steichen
Anna may Wong

Man ray glass tears 1932

Maurice Tabard
Fabian loris with box of men 1928

Dorothea Lange migrant mother 1936

Umbo Otto umbehr
Cat 1927

Experimental photograph 1934 (from positive to negative) Gordon Costner

1. Igor Stravinsky – Edward Weston
2. Movement study 1925 – Rudolf koppitz
3. Gloria Swanson 1924 – Edward Steichen
4. Anna may Wong 1930 – Edward Steichen
5. Glass tears 1932 – Man Ray
6. Noire et Blanche 1926 – Man Ray
7. Fabien loris with box of man 1928 – Maurice Tabard
8. Migrant mother 1936 – Dorothea Lange
9. Cat 1927 – Umbo (Otto Umbehr)
10. Experimental photograph 1934 (from positive to negative) Gordon Costner