A new exhibit of photographs taken by Beatles legend Paul McCartney in late 19963 and early ’64 will open this Friday, April 25, at the Gagosian gallery in Beverly Hills, California. The exhibition, titled “Paul McCartney: Rearview Mirror: Photographs, December 1963–February 1964,” includes 36 images snapped by McCartney during and shortly before The Beatles’ historic first visit to the U.S.
Videos by American Songwriter
A video feature capturing McCartney signing prints of various photos from the exhibit and chatting with Joshua Chuang, the gallery’s director of photography, about the images, has been posted on the Gagosian’s YouTube channel. The presentation was filmed during a recent visit Sir Paul paid to the Griffin Editions fine-art photography destination in Brooklyn, New York.
At one point during the video, McCartney is shown looking at photos he took of John Lennon, and he shared some emotional reflections about his late former bandmate.
“He was a great guy,” Paul said. “And I’m so proud and happy to have known him, to have worked with him, and to have done all that stuff with him, you know? So it’s a huge thing in my life.”
Many of the pics were taken as the Fab Four were experiencing the craziness of Beatlemania, as rabid fans gathered to greet the band members wherever they traveled.
“I think for me, the main feeling is just remembering the joy,” McCartney noted as he gazed at the photos of Lennon. “I suppose, you know, in life, people come and go. And if ever I have to write a note to someone, [I would] sort of say, ‘Yeah, but you know, you remember the great times you had together and stuff.’ And that’s what these pictures do for me.”
More About the Gagosian Exhibit
An opening reception for the exhibit will be held April 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT.
McCartney collaborated with the Gagosian gallery and Griffin Editions to produce a limited number of prints of the photos and has signed each one. Part of the proceeds from sales of the prints will be donated to help recovery and rebuilding efforts for the areas devastated by the recent Southern California wildfires.
The images include a mix of black-and-white and color pics shot in Liverpool, U.K.; London; Paris; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Miami. Among them are self-portraits, candid photos of Paul’s bandmates, and pics of fans who swarmed the group as they made their way to various promotional appearances.
The exhibit also will feature an installation of Beatles-related memorabilia from that time. In addition, the show will include excerpts of footage of The Beatles filmed by famed documentarians Albert and David Maysles. The sibling filmmaking duo were granted access to document the band members during their first U.S. visit in February 1964.
The “Paul McCartney: Rearview Mirror: Photographs, December 1963–February 1964” exhibition runs through June 21.
McCartney’s Comments About Other Photos in the Exhibit
The video also includes a humorous segment in which McCartney reflected on a closeup photo of George Harrison he took. The color image shows Harrison at a pool in Miami Beach, Florida, being handed a drink by a bikini-clad woman. In the pic, the young guitarist’s facial blemishes can be easily seen.
“These days … you’d retouch out his pimples,” Paul commented. “[In this print,] we’re bringing them up. Sorry, George. You’re still gorgeous.”
McCartney then reminisced, “[George was] my little mate. We met on the school bus, can you imagine that?”
Another part of the video captured Paul looking at some images taken of The Beatles during their historic first appearance on the hugely popular U.S. variety program The Ed Sullivan Show.
“When we went on this show, we didn’t realize the significance, you know,” McCartney admitted. “‘It’s just another TV show,’ we thought.”
Paul then explained that he started to realize what a big deal it was to play The Ed Sullivan Show just before he performed a song by himself on the episode.
“I was to do a solo song. I wasn’t feeling too bad,” he recalled. “One of the guys [who was] gonna pull the curtains back … said, ‘Are you nervous?’ You know, [he was] a teamster. I said, ‘No, not really.’ He said, “You should be … 73 million people watching,” and then pulled the curtains back. And I’m left [going,] ‘Ahhhh!’”
He added, “But when I see the footage, we don’t look nervous.”
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