This exhibition ‘Eyes of the Storm’ runs until 1 October 2023. Through this exhibition, McCartney showcases over 250 previously unseen photographs taken between November 1963 and February 1964 – this period of time being at the height of “Beatlemania” and the Beatles’ popularity being propelled from a popular band from Britain to an international cultural phenomenon. McCartney describes this period of time in their lives as being a “crazy whirlwind that we were living through, touring and working pretty much every day and seeing loads of people who wanted to photograph us. There were loads of eyes, and cameras, at the centre of this storm.”
The images were all taken by Sir Paul himself on his Pentax Camera and they document the band looking from the inside out. This means that the exhibition feels really personal and candid. Getting to see an up close and personal glimpse of life behind the scenes is something really special.
“We were just wondering at the world, just excited about all these little things that were making up our lives. We were fascinated with what we were doing and what was happening to us and its something I’ve never really lost. I’ve never lost that sense of wonder.”
-Sir Paul McCartney
The narrative might only record the band through a short period of 4 months it does span a full range of their adventures: from images taken backstage at performances in Liverpool, to rehearsals in Paris, to wintry Manhattan skylines through to the glorious colours of the band relaxing at Miami Beach.
“We all know what Beatlemania looked and sounded like from the outside, but what did it look and feel like for the four pairs of eyes that lived and witnessed it first-hand? Over more than half a century, we have become familiar with press photographs showing the smiling Beatles and their screaming fans, but Paul McCartney’s intimate photographs have more in common with a family album, capturing people caught in off-guard moments of relaxation and laughter. I will always be honoured that Paul approached the National Portrait Gallery to share his extraordinary archive – this exhibition begins an exciting new chapter for the Gallery, as we prepare to open our new doors and welcome back our visitors.”
Dr Nicholas Cullinan
Director, National Portrait Gallery
Paul McCartney’s interest in the visual arts is evident in his photographs, reflecting styles and aesthetics of the period, including New Wave, documentary film-making and photojournalism, which emerged in the 1960s. He absorbed cultural influences, adapting his style to achieve a particular atmosphere, and learned from the photographers he worked with, who embraced the imperfections of snapshot photography, McCartney’s own down-to-earth approach resonated with related cultural movements in Britain, such as gritty realism in theatre and literature and the Free Cinema movement, all of which prioritised working-class perspectives. His acute observation, so celebrated in his song-lyrics, characterised the intimate portraits of John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and manager Brian Epstein, depicting moments of concentration, relaxation and joy. While McCartney was nearly always surrounded by media, he also used his camera to draw out personal encounters with press photographers and individuals, set against a backdrop of roaring crowds. The exhibition documents the different environments he found himself in, documenting fleeting moments on the move, driving through streets lined with screaming fans.
“The truth is that I have always been interested in photography, from the time I was very young, when our family owned a little box camera in the 1950s. I used to love the whole process of loading a roll of Kodak film into our Brownie camera.”
– Sir Paul McCartney, 2023
McCartney has also published an accompanying book of photographs shown as part of the exhibition with Penguin Press, which can be purchased through the NPG by clicking here.