Elvis at 21: From New York to Memphis

As one of the 20th Century’s most ubiquitous and iconic figures, Elvis Presley has long since become enshrined within the cultural landscape of the west, both as caricature and musical legend. While the Memphian singer is nowadays as notorious for his tragic descent and untimely end as for his talent, the photographs of Alfred Wertheimer, taken as the young Presley was on the cusp of fame in the mid Fifties, serve as a moving reminder of his humble origins and of the complex man behind the squeaky clean image; ‘Elvis at 21: New York to Memphis,’ the first collection to visit Proud Galleries group’s newly opened Chelsea gallery, is extremely significant to those with as much as a passing interest in Presley. Marking the first time that Wertheimer’s collection has visited the UK, the residence (which will run until the end of this January) brings these photographs to the heart of London, and Rock Pulse braved the sale-crazed hordes of King’s Road to take a look.

Wertheimer famously responded by asking ‘Elvis Who?’ when hired by RCA to photograph the then-upcoming young singer, and his lack of preconception or ulterior motive resulted in a never to be repeated insight into the real Elvis, an imperfect and charismatic young man who had been thrust into the limelight almost overnight. We see him in a variety of different contexts, from the boundless energy of his onstage performances to fleeting liaisons with ‘the girl of the day’ in the backstage area, in repose and in jest between concerts... all this in stark contrast to the posed and censored press photographs to come in later stages of his career. As one scans along the gallery walls, you begin to build up a picture of a fun loving, comic, yet thoughtful individual... it is difficult not to feel sadness at the transformations that would come with fame, and the weight of expectation to be laid upon his head.

Many of these photographs themselves have achieved iconic status, such as the poignant image of Elvis sat alone at a piano backstage at the Steve Allen Show, and another few of him astride his Harley Davidson motorbike; the pictures’ continued influence is unsurprising given their honesty and uncomplicated charm. Wertheimer opted for a hands off, documentary style approach, meaning that these images are free of pretention, and touch upon areas of Presley’s personality that would later be screened from authorised photographs: his sexual promiscuity, home life and backstage rituals, with many more events depicted besides. There’s certainly much here to support the claim to Elvis being one of the most photogenic individuals of the century, and chances are that those that count themselves, or their loved ones, among ‘The King Of Rock’s’ legion of fans will have encountered a number of these photographs before, splashed as they have been across countless objects of merchandise for many years.

Though long since passed away, Elvis Presley continues to cast a shadow across the popular consciousness of so many, so love him or loathe him, it can hardly be denied that these photographs, and by extension, this residence, is well worth a look. If the cartoon figure of ‘Elvis the Pelvis’ is among the dominant images of Presley at the end of the Noughties, then this is a stark, and often touching, reminder of the man before the sequined jumpsuit. It also serves as a meditation on the cost of fame, something that is all too relevant in our world of vacuous celebrity and ephemeral fame, where today’s hero can be tomorrow’s cast off, and the capricious moods of the consumer are enough to consign an artist to the cultural scrapheap in the blink of an eye. On a more pragmatic note it’s free to visit and only one tube stop along from London Victoria, so there’s no reason not to head along if the collection piques your interest. The price tags of these original prints may be out of reach for the majority of us, but to a casual viewer this is a rare, perhaps unique look at some unforgettable pieces, and one that committed Presley-ites cannot afford to miss.

Elvis at 21: New York to Memphis runs until 31st January 2010.

Proud Chelsea is located at: 161 King’s Road , London, SW1 5XP

www.proud.co.uk

All photographs were taken by Alfred Wertheimer.