Elton John photo snagged in child porn bust

Celebrity News - Elton John photo snagged in child porn bust

Acclaimed rocker Elton John has found himself swept up in a recent British child-pornography investigation after a photograph which belonged to the Rocket Man, one which featured two naked girls, was seized from a British art gallery on Tuesday.

British police seized a picture taken by American photographer Nan Goldin, which was entitled "Klara and Edda Belly-Dancing," The picture had been on display at an exhibition in the Baltic Gallery in the English town of Gateshead. A complaint had been lodged by one of the gallery's management, which sparked police to respond to the exhibit.

The Times of London quoted a police spokesperson who said that, "We attended the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead last Thursday at the invitation of the management, who were seeking advice about an item for an exhibition prior to it going on public display." The spokesperson noted, "This item is being assessed, and Northumbria Police, in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service is investigating the circumstances surrounding it."

In a statement posted on Elton John's official Web site, the 60-year-old rocker noted that he purchased the picture from the White Cube Gallery in London back in 1999. "Klara and Edda Belly Dancing" was noted to be one of 149 separate pictures which comprised the "Thanksgiving" installation from Nan Goldin. John said in his statement that, "The photograph exists as part of the installation as a whole and has been widely published and exhibited throughout the world."

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member went on to say that, "It can be found in the monograph of Ms. Goldin's works entitled The Devil's Playground and has been offered for sale at Sotheby's New York in 2002 and 2004 and has previously been exhibited in Houston, London, Madrid, New York, Portugal, Warsaw and Zurich without any objections of which we are aware."