Paul McCartney Photo Exhibition Hits Roppongi: Exclusive Gallery Talk Unveils Secrets

The exhibition Paul McCartney: 1963-64 — Eyes of the Storm opened on July 19 at Tokyo City View in Roppongi, Tokyo.

Previously held in London and New York, this exhibition features photographs taken by Paul McCartney himself. It documents a transformative period from December 1963, when The Beatles began to captivate the world, to February 1964, when they took America by storm on The Ed Sullivan Show. The display spans approximately three months of this significant era.

A preview event was held on July 18, featuring a gallery talk by Rosie Broadley, the co-curator from the National Portrait Gallery in London. As the first stop in Asia, the exhibition showcases around 250 carefully selected images, with McCartney himself involved in the selection process. Broadley discussed the behind-the-scenes details of organizing this special event.

According to Rosie Broadley, the idea for the exhibition originated when Paul McCartney, involved in another project in 2022, recalled his early days of photography and requested access to his archived images. The archive had never been developed before, and it was the first time Paul himself had seen the contact sheets and negative films in their expanded form. To share this experience with the public, a special audio guide narrated by McCartney has been included as a highlight of the exhibition.

Paul used a Pentax 35mm single-lens reflex camera for the photos. While the exact acquisition method is unknown, it is speculated that it may have been a gift from someone in the photography community. The exhibition features some photos marked with a large “X”—these were enlarged copies of contact sheets, and the marks were added by Paul himself as his personal favorites.

The audio guide for the exhibition includes commentary by Paul McCartney, his daughter Mary McCartney, Rosie Broadley, and curator Sarah Brown. It offers explanations in Japanese transcription and can be accessed via the free Bloomberg Connects app, provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies, which focuses on arts and education charity work. Visitors can search for “Tokyo City View” in the app, start the guide, and select the exhibition to listen.

In addition to the photographs, the exhibition displays contact sheets of Paul’s photos, a replica of the lyric manuscript for “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” which topped the charts in both the UK and the US in 1963, and footage from The Ed Sullivan Show and a 1964 press conference at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. Exclusively in Japan, the exhibition features the bronze sculpture 4 Heads (The Beatles), created while meeting The Beatles, and a giant photo panel of The Beatles members, standing over two meters tall, available only at the Tokyo exhibition.

At the entrance of the exhibition hall, a timeline covering October 1963 to March 1964 is displayed, allowing visitors to read about the events and activities of The Beatles during this period before viewing the photographs. Additionally, city names such as “PARIS” and “MIAMI” found throughout the exhibition are scanned from handwritten notes by Paul McCartney, recorded on the back of the contact sheets.

Rosie notes that the approximately three months from December 1963, when the photographs in the exhibition were taken, marked a transformative period when The Beatles evolved from British pop stars into an international phenomenon. In the final section of the exhibition, the “MIAMI” area, which features color photographs, showcases vivid vacation scenes and a photo film titled “Beatles Tour,” which highlights The Beatles’ first trip to Miami, all captured by Paul McCartney.

The “Paul McCartney Photography Exhibition 1963-64 ~Eyes of the Storm~” in Tokyo will run until September 24, 2024. Following that, the exhibition is scheduled to take place in Osaka from October 12, 2024, to January 5, 2025.

Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64 Eyes of the Storm

◆ Venue: Tokyo City View (Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 52F, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
◆ Dates: July 19, 2024 (Friday) – September 24, 2024 (Tuesday)
◆ Hours: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Fridays and Saturdays until 8:00 PM. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Note: On July 19, the exhibition closes at 5:00 PM. Closed on no days.
◆ Admission (tax included): General ¥2,600 / Students (high school and university) ¥1,800 / Children (ages 4 to junior high school) ¥1,000

• For more details, please visit the official website: WWW.eyesofthestorm.jp
  ◆ Organized by: Fuji Television / Tokyo City View / Kyodo Tokyo
  ◆ Supported by: Asahi Shimbun / J-WAVE / Nippon Broadcasting System
  ◆ Special Sponsor: Bloomberg Philanthropies
• Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities across 150 countries to help people live longer, better lives. Focused on creating lasting change, Bloomberg Philanthropies supports five main areas: “Arts,” “Education,” “Environment,” “Government Innovation,” and “Public Health,” encompassing all of Bloomberg’s charitable activities, including the foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy of Michael R. Bloomberg, as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consulting firm operating in cities worldwide. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies made $1.7 billion in donations. For more information, visit bloomberg.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
  ◆ Cooperation: Universal Music

MPL Communications
© National Portrait Gallery, London.
Exhibition curated by Sir Paul McCartney with Sarah Brown on behalf of MPL Communications
Limited and Rosie Broadley for the National Portrait Gallery, London, and presented by Fuji TV.