The photo exhibition Linda McCartney Retrospective is full of simplicity. The hall’s four floors are papered white, and her photos are all lined up at the same height, waiting for visitors to peruse them. Yet, these photos hold the power of simplicity, a strength that makes them greater than simple. Following the course of the exhibition, one will be able to walk along the whole passage of Linda’s life as a photographer, wife, mother, and woman.

 

Although Linda is more famous as the Beatles Paul McCartney’s wife, she earned a reputation as a professional photographer during the mid-sixties. Being the first female photographer to do the cover shot for Rolling Stone magazine, she took photos of many of the famous musicians of that time. This exhibition, though, sheds light on a different side of her work. Starting with her family life in the second floor, the exhibition gives visitors a peek into the humane Linda McCartney, as well as her neighbors and her philosophy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her family life is portrayed by a photo in which she is tightly hugged by Paul. The two become five in the next photographs, as they welcome new family members— two daughters and a son. This floor, mostly filled with personal yet active and colorful pictures, spreads the simplicity and warmth of Linda’s family while giving visitors a chance to reflect upon their own childhoods. Similarly to how Paul is hugging Linda in the first photo, “The Family Life” section embraces all visitors as part of her family.

 

The third floor introduces people to a wider perspective of her life. Including photos of her fans taking pictures of her and old men on a bleak street, this section is where she speaks through her works. Through the excited fans, she speaks of love and thanks, and through the old men, she shows her respect for their wisdom.

 

Adding to this, pictures of a meat market and dead fish give voice to her vegetarianism and support for the animal rights movement. Although she is no longer able to fight for the animals, due to her death from breast cancer in 1998, her shouted protests against the violent slaughter of animals can still be heard through her impassioned photos.

 

Linda once said, “By viewing the world through the camera lens, I can face the world with sincerity.” Through the focal point of the lens, she could remove all the complexities of life and concentrate on her own vision of life and, at the same time, read other people’s stories and souls. This is what she does in the next section, the “Chronicle of the Sixties.” Consisting of portraits of renowned musicians such as Eric Clapton, The Doors, and of course, the Beatles, this series not only depicts her love of music, but also the personalities and spirits of the legendary musicians of that time.

 

Visitors can enjoy this section while listening to the famous songs of the musicians until they find themselves pausing by a red traffic light. The final wall of the third floor, covered with the famous cover photo of the Beatle’s eleventh studio album, Abbey Road, shows the four members crossing the now famous street. As visitors gaze at the lifelike photo, making them feel as if they were actually greeting the members from one side of the road, they soon find themselves walking with the Beatles members and guided to the top floor of the exhibition.

 

The last section, which holds her later works, has a more solemn atmosphere. After the long journey that started with her family and drove past her neighbors and companions, she returns to her everyday life. Experimenting with various techniques, she develops a more mature and unique style. In particular, the work “Lucky Spot in Daisy Field, Sussex, 1985,” depicting a horse in the middle of a field covered in daisies, is simple yet encompasses all kinds of feelings, including loneliness and bravery.

 

By the end of the trip through Linda’s adventurous life, visitors will sympathize with the famous saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, since this exhibition would have told them the thousand stories that made Linda who she was. Completing the stories her photos tell quotations from her closest friends and family, reminding visitors of how devoted Linda was to the simplicity of daily life and to becoming a better mother, wife, and woman.

 

Those who have only known Linda McCartney as the wife of Sir Paul or as the mother of fashion designer Stella will be able to learn much about the woman hidden behind the curtain. The Linda McCartney Retrospective truly encompasses her life, putting on display the light and dark, ups and downs of the remarkable life and work of a genuine artist and individual.

 

Venue: Daelim Museum

Date: November 6, 2014 – April 26, 2015

Time: 10:00 – 18:00 (Tuesday – Sunday) 10:00 – 20:00 (Thursday and Saturday) Closed on Mondays

Price: Adult 5,000 won