Chrysler Museum of Art Announces Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm

Self – portraits in a mirror. Paris, January 1964
© 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP

(NORFOLK, Va. – Nov. 9, 2023) – The Chrysler Museum of Art announces the Dec. 5, 2023, opening of the major exhibition Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm, comprised of 250 of his curated images. This exhibition runs through April 7, 2024, at the Museum, One Memorial Place, Norfolk with Dec. 5 and 6 being member-only days.

This intimate and very personal exhibition drawn from McCartney’s private archives shares photographs from December 1963 through February 1964, as the momentum of Beatlemania began. McCartney used his Pentax camera and captured the Fab Four—himself, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr–as they rocketed from being the most idolized band in the United Kingdom to the most popular musicians in the world.

John and George. Paris, January 1964
© 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP

The Museum has been fortunate to have McCartney’s photographic curator and archivist, Sarah Brown, to collaborate onsite with Chrysler Museum Senior Curator Lloyd DeWitt as they complete the installation of this once-in-a-museum’s-lifetime exhibit. McCartney, Brown and the National Portrait Gallery’s Rosie Broadley carefully selected the images for Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm for its debut earlier in 2023 at the National Portrait Gallery in London and now at The Chrysler Museum of Art. Brown will be onsite to meet with media, answer questions and lead tours through the exhibition before it opens to the public.

Visitors to this distinctive exhibition will encounter an immersive experience from the Eyes of the Storm with 250 photographs and video footage. Included ​are photographs McCartney captured of him and his bandmates at Liverpool and London gigs to The Beatles‘ perspective as they experienced in real-time “The Ed Sullivan Show” in New York, a historic appearance that drew a record 73 million viewers.

George Harrison. Miami Beach, February 1964
© 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP

“Every picture brings back memories. I can try and place where we were and what we were doing to either side of the frame. Pictures of us with the photographers bring back memories of being in New York for the first time and being taken down to Central Park, the New York hard-bitten cameramen shouting out, ‘Hey Beatle, hey Beatle.’ We’d look at them and they’d take the picture. ‘One more for the West Coast.’ I remember all those stories,” said McCartney when interviewed by Christie’s last September.

ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art is one of America’s most distinguished mid-sized art museums, with a nationally recognized collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one of the great glass collections in America. The core of the Chrysler’s collection comes from Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., an avid art collector who donated thousands of objects from his private collection to the Museum. The Museum has growing collections in many areas and mounts an ambitious schedule of visiting exhibitions and educational programs each season. The Chrysler Museum has also been recognized nationally for its unique commitment to inclusion with its innovative gallery host program.

The Perry Glass Studio is a state-of-the-art facility on the Museum’s campus. The studio offers programming for aspiring and master artists alike in a variety of processes, including glassblowing, fusing, flameworking, coldworking and neon.

In addition, the Chrysler Museum of Art administers the Moses Myers House, a historic house in downtown Norfolk, as well as the Jean Outland Chrysler Library. For more information on the Chrysler Museum of Art, visit chrysler.org.

The Museum admission is free, but fees may apply to some programming. Visit chrysler.org/events to see the upcoming calendar in detail.

For more information, interview assistance, or a high-resolution image suitable for publication, please contact Tanya Kaish Keller at The Meridian Group at (757) 340-7425 or tanya@themeridiangroup.com

Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–1964: Eyes of the Storm is curated by Paul McCartney with Sarah Brown on behalf of MPL Communications Limited and Rosie Broadley for the National Portrait Gallery, London, and presented by the Chrysler Museum of Art. This exhibition is supported by the Horace W. Goldsmith Special Exhibitions Endowment.

 About the National Portrait Gallery
Founded in 1856, the National Portrait Gallery tells the story of Britain through portraits, using art to bring history to life and explore living today. From global icons to unsung heroes, our Collection is filled with the stories that have shaped and continue to shape a nation. We celebrate the power of portraiture and offer encounters with some of the world’s greatest and most exciting new artists, promoting engagement with portraiture in all media to a wide- ranging public by conserving, growing, and sharing the world’s largest collection of portraits.

The Gallery in St Martin’s Place, London, reopened on June 22, 2023, following an extensive redevelopment project, which has transformed the Gallery, including a complete refurbishment of the building and a new learning center. www.npg.org.uk

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