Linda McCartney was the first woman photographer whose photos were featured in Rolling Stone magazine. She made a name for herself by taking pictures of famous rock stars in the 1960s and ’70s such as The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and The Beatles.
She’s also well known as the first wife of Paul McCartney, a Beatle. Of her four children, Mary is a photographer, too, and Stella a fashion designer.
Daelim Museum in Seoul is holding Linda McCartney’s first exhibition in Korea, shedding light on her life as not just the wife of one of the world’s most famous musicians, but also as an advocate of animal rights and vegetarianism.
Paul and Linda McCartney, London (Linda McCartney/Paul McCartney)
The exhibition chronicles her life from the first picture she took in the 1960s to her later works before she died from breast cancer in 1998.
Linda, who majored in art history, was introduced to photography when her friend took her to a photography class. She had a rare chance to attend a boat party thrown by Rolling Stone magazine, where she took photos of rock stars, including Mick Jagger and some of his friends. Her photos taken on the boat jumpstarted her career as a photographer. Shortly after, she was hired as a staff photographer for the magazine.
She captured the musicians in their natural state. One of the photos, which Paul McCartney chose as his favorite from the exhibition, features Jimi Hendrix yawning after long hours of recording the night before.
Paul and Mary McCartney, Scotland (Linda McCartney/Paul McCartney)
A section of the exhibition is dedicated to snapshots from her family life.
The photos show everyday moments of her family life that might have been easily missed without her attention to detail. Handpicked by her husband and two daughters, each photo shows their different memories with her.
In a photo taken in 1982, Paul stands on a wooden fence at their family ranch in Scotland while their children Stella and James play in the grass. In another tender moment, Paul holds their first daughter Mary in his winter coat. A family portrait shows Linda, Paul and baby Mary reflected in a bathroom mirror.
“Every image is a reflection of her way of seeing life and how she viewed every day with fresh eyes. Her lens was her way of expressing herself, the real Linda,” wrote Stella McCartney in the exhibition catalogue.
Some photos reveal her dedication to animal rights and her life as a vegetarian.
The Linda McCartney retrospective runs through April 26, 2015, at Daelim Museum in Jongno, Seoul. For more information, visit www.daelimmuseum.org.
By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)
