Audiences know Elton John as a renowned pianist and popular entertainer, but they may be surprised to learn that he is also the owner of an impressive photography collection. Over the past few decades, John and his husband, David Furnish, have amassed more than 7,000 photographs, 300 of which will go on display next spring at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A).

Titled “Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection,” the new exhibition will feature rare prints from prominent photographers, most of which have never been seen by the public. 

These works will “[showcase] some of the most beloved photographers and iconic images from within our collection,” say John and Furnish in a statement from the V&A.

John started collecting photography after recovering from alcohol and drug addiction in the 1990s, according to the Associated Press. He and Furnish first met in 1993, and the couple has since built one of the largest private collections of photography in the world.

The upcoming show isn’t the first exhibition of works from the British musician’s collection. In 2016, the Tate Modern staged “The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography From the Sir Elton John Collection,” which featured photography from the 1920s to the 1950s. In the audio guide for that show, John described photography as “the love of my life, in art terms. I love surrounding myself with them,” per CNN’s Nick Glass.

“Fragile Beauty” will be a continuation of “The Radical Eye,” focusing on photographs from the 1950s to the present day. Billed as the V&A’s “largest temporary exhibition of photography to date,” it will feature works from over 140 photographers, including Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi and Ai Weiwei.

The show will be divided into eight thematic sections, such as fashion, reportage and celebrity. It will feature a number of portraits of famous actors and performers, including Marilyn Monroe, Miles Davis and Chet Baker. It will also showcase photographs capturing historical moments from the civil rights movement, the AIDS epidemic and the 9/11 attacks.

“We are delighted to be working with Sir Elton John and David Furnish to present highlights from their unparalleled collection: from the playful and surprising, to the contemplative and thoughtful,” says Duncan Forbes, the show’s curator, in the museum’s statement. “Whether through the elegance of fashion photography, the creativity of musicians and performers, the exploration of desire or the passage of history as captured by photojournalism, photography reveals something important about the world.”

“Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection” will be on view at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from May 18, 2024 to January 5, 2025.

Ted Chin is a digital surrealist and photographer originally from Taiwan, now based in San Francisco, USA. He is widely recognized for his exquisite Photoshop composite art, which exudes a dreamy and surreal quality, occasionally touched with ethereal nature spirits.

“I am familiar with Ted’s work as he is well-known in the field of digital photomontage surrealism. Ted’s work is novel and innovative even in a cutting-edge art field. His ability to capture that intangible magical feel when creating his works gives him a unique and instantly recognizable style. When browsing the inspiration blogs I see his work and know it is him. One of his hallmarks is the way he scales animals. We can relate to animals in a photo, but the way he scales them creates something else entirely with an extra layer of magic to it,” says artist Erik Johansson.

With over eight years of expertise in digital production, Chin has catered to a wide array of international clients, including Grammy, Apple, Warner Bros, HBO, Meta, and Adobe, navigating the realms of fine art and the commercial industry. His exceptional talents were recently acknowledged when he was selected as the cover artist for the Adobe Photoshop 2021 splash screen.

“Ted’s accomplishments as a surrealist photo montage artist are a testament to his talents. Having his work featured on Adobe’s splash page is akin to winning a Grammy in the art world. Artists use Adobe every day and when they see the splash page, they pay attention to the artist. This recognition, bestowed by a tool used universally by artists, is a massive endorsement that signifies his position at the top of the food chain in the digital art realm,” offers artist Corentin Villemeur.

Chin’s boundless creativity is driven by a desire to capture and communicate the captivating wonder and beauty of the world, inspiring viewers with his imaginative artwork. Forbes sat down with artist Ted Chin to talk about his creative process, career and who he’d love to work with in the future.

Goldie Chan: What has been your favorite project to work on?

Ted Chin: One of My favorite projects that I’ve worked on was the splash screen cover for 2021 Adobe Photoshop – the Flamingo Cloud. It was a dream come true to have my artwork viewed by the whole world, and every single user that uses photoshop. There are many amazing fun projects that I worked on but this one will always be the most special one for me. It was the “I made it” moment. Still feels like a dream to me.

Chan: What has your career journey been?

Chin: Been challenging but exciting. I get work from different agencies and brand opportunities, but sometimes it’s not as stable as a 9-5 job. The first year was hard when I quit my first office job, but then I got to learn so much on my journey and got to work with many different brands and companies and met so many creative minds.

I have worked with brands like Adobe, Honda, Apple, Grammy, Puma, Redbull, Warner Bros and many more different brands including sports and tech to design creative advertising and social media campaigns.

Chan: Describe your personal brand.

Chin: I’m a digital artist that focuses on creating surreal fantasy art and graphic design. Beside making fine art, I also help brands to make designs, and use storytelling to communicate a message or promote a service or product.

Chan: What do you love about surrealist art or surrealism?

Chin: It allows me to day dream and explore my mind.

As a child, storytelling always ignited a spark within me. When I was in graduate school, I struggled with limited resources and time, preventing me from exploring the world as much as I desired. The idea of traveling to new places, discovering unfamiliar cultures, and sharing stories remained a dream for me.

I realized that I could bring my tales to life through the art of photography and Photoshop, leveraging my imagination and skills to create surrealistic visual narratives that could transport viewers to other worlds. And thus, “Ted’s Little Dream,” a lifelong project, was born. By fusing my passion for storytelling with my love for photography and digital art, I strive to capture the essence of my dreams and share them with the world.

Chan: Which brand or person would you love to work with?

Chin: I would love to work with galleries like Avant Arte, Spoke Art or Pace Gallery, or explore opportunities to create installation art and sculptures. I want to break the 2D world and bring my art into real life scale and invite more audience to dream with me.

Chan: What are you working on now?

Chin: Currently working on live streaming art, education, and exploring of Ai technology. I have few exciting opportunities and gallery shows coming in 2024 and I look forward to it.

Chan: Who do you admire?

Chin: Artist Erik Johansson, I got to meet him and become friends 2 years ago, and I hope I will become a successful international well known artist, and get to show my art in actual museums one day.

Chan: Any career advice for this year?

Chin: Don’t be shy to try new technology and learn different ways to show your art. It is important to focus on your craft and become a better scholar and artist, but it is also important to find a way to let your voice heard by others.