The AGO presents a photography exhibition by none other than Paul McCartney
Turns out the legendary musician dabbled in another art form besides hit-making
A new exhibition at the AGO is dedicated to a lesser-known skill of the multitalented Paul McCartney: snapping pics. First put together by London’s National Portrait Gallery, Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm is a touring exhibition that revolves around a collection of photos taken by McCartney in his early 20s, as the Beatles embarked on the American tour that transformed the group into international superstars. Below, AGO curator Jim Shedden gives us a closer look at what’s really happening in four of the spontaneous shots. Art Gallery of Ontario, opens February 18
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The Beatles With Clay Portrait Busts by David Wynne, 1964
Beatlemania spawned an abundance of amusing effigies, including these busts by David Wynne, a British artist better known for his animal sculptures. “That was the kind of zany stuff that was going on,” Shedden says. Stranger still was the 850-pound butter sculpture of the Beatles prepared for the 1964 CNE, commemorated in a sister exhibition about the band’s visit to Toronto that year.
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West 58th Street, Crossing 6th Avenue, 1964
The Beatles landed in New York to a swarm of admirers. Shooting out of the back window of a car, McCartney captures fans and media chasing them down West 58th Street. “It’s scenes like this that inspired the making of A Hard Day’s Night,” says Shedden. While frenzied mobs would eventually force the band to quit touring altogether, this shot captures a time when it was still new and exciting.
George Harrison, Miami Beach, 1964
After more than a week of dreary weather in New York and Washington, DC, the Beatles found sunny Miami to be a riot of colour, and McCartney switched film stocks accordingly. Here, George Harrison accepts a drink from an unknown woman. “I can see why George is so many people’s favourite Beatle,” says Shedden. “He’s quiet but also a compelling, charismatic character.”
Self-Portrait, London, 1964
McCartney was exposed to photography from a young age, when he and his brother experimented with a Kodak Brownie. “That’s when he learned about lighting and composition,” says Shedden. This classic mirror selfie shows both the photographer and his tool of choice: a Pentax camera, which Shedden calls the iPhone of its time. “It was for people who were serious about photography but not professionals,” he says.
Anthony Milton is a freelance journalist based in Toronto specializing in long-form magazine writing. He previously worked as an assistant editor at Toronto Life, where he launched the Front Row newsletter. He regularly contributes all sorts of stories to the magazine, including deep dives on sports, business and housing as well as short-form commentary on our ever-changing city, from its obsession with cherry blossoms to its maddening NIMBYism. His work has also appeared in Maclean’s, Ricochet, TVO, the Trillium and more.
