Linda McCartney Retrospective exhibition will be extended over the Christmas period until 10th January 2021 due to popular demand.
Thousands of people have visited Linda McCartney Retrospective since it opened at the Walker Art Gallery in August 2020. With a new closing date (10 January 2021) it is hoped even more people will have the chance to see the extraordinary range of Linda’s work.
Images of the most iconic artists and moments from the 1960s music scene, alongside intimate family moments and arresting pictures of the natural world give visitors remarkable insight into Linda’s world and the way she approached her photography. In addition, a section featuring works never shown before of the family in Liverpool and Wirral has a special resonance with the gallery’s local audience.
The exhibition also includes contact sheets, ephemera, and archive materials, including some of Linda’s journals from the 1960s and several of her cameras. An array of Linda’s exquisite polaroids and sun prints are beautiful examples of Linda’s creativity and interest in early photographic processes.
Sandra Penketh, Executive Director for Galleries and Collections Care at National Museums Liverpool, said:
“The response from our visitors to the Linda McCartney Retrospective has been overwhelming. From the intimacy of her family photographs to the unique way she captured the world around her, people have discovered not only unforgettable photographs but a huge sense of love and joy within the exhibition.
“We are thrilled that we have been able to extend the exhibition’s run to give more people the chance to see it. It is particularly exciting to have it on over the festive period, when we know families love to visit the gallery and we think they will particularly enjoy the shots of Linda’s family at home in Liverpool for Christmas.”
A selection of responses from visitors:
“A fantastic exhibition. Lets us live through the eyes of a wonderful woman, way ahead of her time”
“Such a beautiful exhibition”
“Beautifully displayed and a fascinating collection of brilliant photographs.”
“I was so impressed with her creativity and range of techniques. It was a real treat and the first exhibition we visited since lock down. Thank you Walker Art Gallery”
A new addition to the gallery is Home for All, a small but powerful display of work by members of the Crisis Photography Group. Inspired by themes within Linda McCartney Retrospective, six photographers from the group respond to ideas of ‘home’, creating poignant, thoughtful, and playful imagery.
Born Linda Eastman in New York in 1941, Linda’s interest in photography developed after she accompanied a friend to a photography class while studying at the University of Arizona. Seeing photographs such as Dorothea Lange’s powerful images of 1930s American migrant families, she was inspired to photograph the world around her as she saw it.
By the mid-1960s, Linda was a successful professional photographer known for her portraits of musicians such as The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin and The Beatles. In 1968, she became the first female photographer to have a cover photograph on Rolling Stone magazine, with her portrait of Eric Clapton.
Linda was a single mother to her daughter Heather when she married Paul McCartney in 1969. Paul adopted Heather, and the couple had three children together: Mary, Stella and James. Following her marriage, Linda’s work became more intimate and emotive, centring on the daily lives of her family, as well as her love of animals and the natural world.
Linda McCartney had a parallel career as a musician, working alongside Paul on the album RAM and as a member of the band Wings. She was an animal rights activist and a passionate advocate of a vegetarian lifestyle, often using her images to support the campaigns that she believed in.
Tickets for Linda McCartney Retrospective are available to purchase online at £9 for adults and £8 for concessions. Members of National Museums Liverpool receive free entry to the exhibition.
To purchase tickets, or to become a member, visit: liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/lindamccartney
