This livestreamed special event which sees Paul McCartney discuss his photography and memories of a unique time in history is one not to be missed, and you can watch online globally.
As part of its First Look Festival, Paul McCartney will be joined by Academy Award winning actor, Stanley Tucci, at his headlining in-conversation event. Together, the pair will discuss McCartney’s upcoming exhibition, staged to mark the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery this summer, as well as his new book, 1964: Eyes of the Storm, the art of photography and his experience of "Beatlemania."
This unprecedented display that will share, for the first time, an extraordinary archive of rediscovered and never- before-seen photographs taken by Paul McCartney. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, this exhibition will focus on the portraits captured by McCartney using his own camera between December 1963 and February 1964, the period in which John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were propelled from being the most popular band in Britain to an international cultural phenomenon. Drawn from McCartney’s own archive, this exhibition provides a uniquely personal and never-before-seen perspective on what it was like to be a Beatle at the start of "Beatlemania" – from gigs in Liverpool and London to performing on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York to an unparalleled television audience of 73 million people. At a time when so many camera lenses were on the band, these photographs will share fresh insight into their experiences, their fans, and the early 1960s, all through the eyes of Paul McCartney.
As part of the in-conversation, McCartney and Tucci will explore their shared interest in the creative arts and photography, drawing on experiences behind and in front of the camera. McCartney’s photographs from the 1963-64 period will form the focus of the discussion, as the pair share stories and select their favorites from the 250 photographs exhibited as part of the exhibition. Drawing on reflections made from the accompanying book of photographs, 1964: Eyes of the Storm, McCartney will also discuss his photographic influences.
Of the exhibition and in-conversation event, McCartney remarked"
Looking at these photos now, decades after they were taken, I find there’s a sort of innocence about them. Everything was new to us at this point. But I like to think I wouldn’t take them any differently today. They now bring back so many stories, a flood of special memories, which is one of the many reasons I love them all, and know that they will always fire my imagination. The fact that these photographs have been taken by the National Portrait Gallery for their reopening after a lengthy renovation is humbling yet also astonishing – I’m looking forward to seeing them on the walls, 60 years on, and reminiscing about those times with the wonderful Stanley Tucci.
Stanley Tucci also commented: “I am honored and thrilled to interview Paul McCartney about these photos and that time in his extraordinary life, A life that has changed all of ours for the better.
This online event will be streamed live from the new National Portrait Gallery on Thursday, June 29th, at 14:00 BST. Tickets for the livestream are £10. Concessionary rate tickets are available, including a new discounted £5 ticket for people aged 30 and under. All ticket holders will have access to a recording of the conversation for a limited time after the live event.
The second major photography exhibition to run after the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery, Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm runs from June 28 until October 1, 2023.
Lead Images left to right: Paul McCartney ©Mary McCartney; Stanley Tucci © Gerhard Jassner
All images in the article supplied with permission ©Paul McCartney
