The National Portrait Gallery in London has unveiled a new family portrait of Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, and their two sons, captured by the acclaimed American photographer Catherine Opie. Taken at the family's home in Old Windsor, the image depicts the group in their library alongside their pet Labradors. The work is a centerpiece of Opie’s major retrospective, "Catherine Opie: To Be Seen," which opens this week.
This commission is significant as it utilizes the visual language of traditional domesticity to celebrate queer family life and celebrity identity. By placing a high-profile LGBTQ+ family within the hallowed halls of the National Portrait Gallery, the institution and the artist collaborate to broaden the definition of contemporary family structures and belonging in the public consciousness.