The Linda McCartney Retrospective, curated by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney, and on now at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, will close on Sunday 12 January. Over 57,000 people have viewed the photographic exhibition since it opened in July, with many more expected to visit in the final days before the exhibition ends.

Linda’s daughter Mary McCartney, who visited the exhibition today, said:

“I never tire of seeing my mum’s work as it has been a constant source of inspiration for my own photography.

“Seeing it for the first time at Kelvingrove in Glasgow, however, was such a poignant experience for me. The way the work presents itself in such an extraordinary building and the enthusiasm and knowledge of the staff has made it such a special memory for me.”

Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life and Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council, said:

“The Linda McCartney Retrospective at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has been very warmly received. We were delighted to be the first venue in the UK to show this exhibition and I would encourage anyone keen to see the show to come along this week before it closes, ahead of its move to Liverpool later this year.

“We are very grateful to Paul McCartney for his generous donation of 14 prints to Glasgow Museums, this tangible legacy ensures the people of Glasgow and beyond can continue to enjoy Linda’s work for generations to come.”

The Linda McCartney Retrospective features iconic names and moments in music from the 1960s, along with more intimate and emotional later work by this acclaimed and prolific photographer.  Themes of the exhibition include The Sixties, Family Life, Self Portraits, Animals and Nature, People & Places, Making the Magic, and Scotland.

On show for the first time is one of Linda McCartney’s diaries from the 1960s, which brings new insight into the contemporary music scene of the era and the beginnings of her photographic career. The exhibition also features ephemera and archive material, including cameras, photographic equipment and a vintage magazine that have been uncovered from Linda’s expansive archive.

Linda McCartney became a professional photographer in the mid-1960s, known for her portraits of Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, among many others. In 1968 she was the first female photographer whose work was featured as the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, with a portrait of Eric Clapton. In 1974, when Linda and Paul appeared on Rolling Stone’s cover, she became the first person to have been photographed and taken a photo for the cover of the magazine: a neat reflection of Linda’s life both in front of and behind the lens.

Following her marriage to Paul McCartney in 1969, Linda’s photographs became more intimate and emotional, exploring the natural world, family life and social commentary. Linda McCartney continued to work prolifically as a photographer until her death from breast cancer in 1998. Her work has been exhibited by institutions including the International Center of Photography in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Fiona Hayes, curator of social history with Glasgow Museums, said: 

“The feedback we’ve received from people viewing the retrospective has been incredibly positive. Visitors have delighted in Linda’s talents as a photographer who had a flair for capturing popular culture in the 1960s, but moreover as a mother who clearly adored her family and someone who appreciated the raw beauty of the Scottish landscape. We’re expecting this week to be busy, as people take advantage of the only opportunity to see the show on Scottish soil.”

Paul McCartney has donated a set of limited edition photographs by his late wife Linda McCartney to Glasgow Museums. Linda’s Pictures comprises 14 photographs, three of which were taken in Scotland. The collection includes portraits of superstar musicians from her early career, as well as intimate and humorous McCartney family photographs taken throughout the 1970s. The images by the former US female photographer of the year are available to view on request at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre.

The Linda McCartney Retrospective will open at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool on 25 April 2020.