LONDON – An exhibition of Linda McCartney’s photographs, hand-picked by her husband, will be put on display later this week at the James Hyman Gallery in west London.
The prints show the range of the late photographer’s career, which was overshadowed by the fame of her husband, former Beatle Paul McCartney.
Featured photos include iconic portraits of John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. But the display also intends to show her range, with family photos of Paul McCartney and their children, as well as landscapes and interiors. Reporters were given a preview of the collection Tuesday.
Linda McCartney was a professional photographer before she met Paul McCartney, but her career changed once she settled down, gallery owner James Hyman said.
“I’d say she was a very strong photographer, and part of what we’ve done here is we’ve tried to show the range of her work – that it’s not just pictures of rock stars in the ’60s, which she’s most famous for,” Hyman said.
One of the most poignant images exhibited is a self-portrait she took in painter Francis Bacon’s studio when she was receiving chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, Hyman said.
The photograph reflects death, showing an empty couch, a bust of British poet William Blake and McCartney’s reflection in a broken mirror.
“We tried to be as true to what she wanted as possible,” Hyman said. “That it’s the paper that she liked, the platinum which she liked and the print studio that she used.”
The display has taken three years to come together since Hyman approached Paul McCartney with the idea.
There are 25 prints of 28 photographs on sale. Prices start at about $9,500 each.
The exhibition coincides with the 10-year anniversary of McCartney’s death in 1998 at the age of 56.
The McCartney family will hold a private opening Wednesday night at the gallery. The exhibition opens to the public on Friday.
