What does it take to be an exceptional photography collector? The Radical Eye at the Tate Modern, London opened last week with the exploration of Sir Elton John’s personal photography collection.
His first photograph acquired at auction made him take note. The 1993 acquisition of Man Ray’s 1932 “Glass Tears” set a historic price at the time – he acquired the vintage photograph at Sothebys for almost $200,000.
As the story by CBS Sunday Morning reporter Anthony Mason explores, Elton John’s obsession for collecting was developed for personal reasons first. Today, his collection contains nearly 8000 images. Each reflects not only his personal taste but why photography remains relevant in our digital age. His passion represents why preserving the past and exposing it to the generations to come is at the core of this physical object’s importance.
Video Update: Since originally posted in 2016, CBS removed their video with Anthony Mason and Elton John. In his own words, Elton John explores his collection at the Tate which was on loan from his own home collection.
