National Portrait Gallery Unveils Catherine Opie Portrait of Sir Elton John and Family
The National Portrait Gallery unveiled a commissioned portrait of Sir Elton John, David Furnish and their sons Zachary and Elijah by photographer Catherine Opie. The pigment print, measuring 101.6 x 134.6 cm, is the first Furnish-John family portrait to enter a national collection and will hang in Room 30 of the Mary Weston Gallery as part of the contemporary Collection display. The work coincides with the exhibition Catherine Opie: To Be Seen, which features interventions throughout the galleries, and was made possible through support from iArtis.
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The portrait joins the permanent collection at a time when institutions are expanding representations of queer family life in their holdings. Opie drew on her Domestic series to frame the sitters in their Old Windsor library with their dogs, aligning the image with the gallery’s focus on figures who have shaped UK culture. The commission also reflects sustained collector interest in Opie’s work, already present in The Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection.
- Artists: Catherine Opie
- People: Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Zachary Furnish-John, Elijah Furnish-John
- Museums: National Portrait Gallery
- Locations: London
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