GenQ - For the not so straight individual

An exhibition of photos owned by Elton John has closed early at the request of the singer after police confiscated two of the photographs.

Last week, the 'Thanksgiving' exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts in Newcastle, England was raided by police who claimed two of the photos were pornographic.

The exhibition featured the work of renowned US photographer Nan Goldin. The offensive photograph was title 'Klara and Edda Belly-dancing'.

It was one of 149 images in the exhibition.

Elton John purchased the collection from the White Cube gallery in London in 1999 and loaned it to the Baltic Centre.

The singer is one of the world's foremost collectors of photographic art and owns works by Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Diane Arbus and Ansel Adams.

In a statement, Jane Jackson, Curator of the Elton John Photographic Collection said "We have made arrangements to close the 'Thanksgiving' Installation at The Baltic with immediate effect. It was always intended that the installation be exhibited as a whole, and not on a piecemeal basis, and our decision has been made with regard to the artistic integrity of the work and the artist."

In other Elton news, on Tuesday night his Elton John AIDS Foundation raised over $2.25million at their sixth annual benefit.

Elton and partner David Furnish hosted the event at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

The highlights of the evening was Elton and k.d. lang's duet of 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word'.

Items at the auction included a day shopping with Sharon Osbourne, a guest spot with Whoopi Goldberg on her radio show and Elton offering his home for a dinner for twelve.