Nearly 60 years after The Beatles performed their final concert at Candlestick Park, Beatlemania is back in the Bay. Organized by the National Portrait Gallery, London, and presented exclusively in California at the de Young museum, Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–1964: Eyes of the Storm will present more than 250 personal photos by Paul McCartney, video clips, and archival materials, that offer a behind-the-scenes look into the meteoric rise of the world’s most celebrated band. The exhibit begins March 1, 2025 and runs through July 6.
The photos in the exhibit were recently unearthed by McCartney and provide a rare time capsule into the life of the The Beatles as they rose to fame, “Well known as one of the world’s most famous musical stars, it is a revelation to discover McCartney’s proficiency as a photographer, documenting everything from the band’s quieter moments and friendships to the ‘Beatlemania’ of the time,” says Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. “We’re honored to present this exhibition here in San Francisco, where The Beatles left an indelible mark on our city’s musical and cultural history.”
Eyes of the Storm captures a period from December 1963 through February 1964 when The Beatles performed in concert halls across England and toured in the United States. McCartney’s images reveal the intensity of life on tour, as The Beatles were whisked from concerts to hotels, trailed by enthusiastic fans from New York to Miami. Photographs of screaming crowds and paparazzi illustrate the sheer magnitude of the group’s superstardom. In stark contrast, behind-closed-doors images captured by McCartney highlight the humor and individuality of the band members on their days off. Eyes of the Storm invites visitors to witness The Beatles’ journey to stardom, from local venues in Liverpool to the Ed Sullivan Show and worldwide acclaim. McCartney’s photographs of the four band members existed as unprinted negatives and contact sheets for 60 years. Rediscovered in the artist’s personal archive in 2020, these images offer new insight into the band, their fans, and the early 1960s, as seen through the eyes of Paul McCartney.
“In this exhibition, we glimpse McCartney both behind and in front of the lens, as he bears witness to a pivotal cultural moment through the camera with a keen artistic eye,” says organizing curator Sally Martin Katz. “From portraiture to landscapes and documentary shots, McCartney demonstrates a deep understanding of the formal styles prevalent in early 1960s photography. Throughout the exhibition, nods to New Wave, documentary filmmaking, and photojournalism underscore McCartney’s multifaceted approach to capturing the spirit of the time.”
