1960s photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery

Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the start of the 60s, the exhibition will display pop music personalities that helped to create “Swinging London” – making the city one of the world’s most important cultural places. The show will demonstrate how The Beatles and their rivals The Rolling Stones and The Kinks dominated the music agenda during the period.

Early portraits of singers such as Cliff Richard, Billy Fury, Marianne Faithful and David Bowie will also make an appearance. The works of top photographers such as Cecil Beaton, David Bailey, Norman Parkinson and Philip Townsend will be part of the collection which will be split into 10 sections to reflect the 10 years of the decade.

Along with the photographs, memorabilia such as pop magazines will also be displayed. The fashions of the era will also be captured in the photographs of female stars such as Lulu and Sandie Shaw.

Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery says “Beatles to Bowie will show how in the 1960s, music changed the world – and how Britain’s was the central axis of new popular culture.”

A hardback book to accompany the exhibition featuring more than 300 images selected by the curator of the show, Terence Pepper and introduced by Jon Savage will be on sale. During 2010 the photographs will move to Newcastle and Norwich as part of a tour.

Beatles to Bowie: The ‘60s exposed runs from 15 October 2009 – 24 January 2010. The gallery is open every day (various opening hours). Admission to the exhibition costs £11. For  more information visit the National Portrait Gallery website, here.

Image: The Beatles, 1964 by Robert Whitaker, Robert Whitaker Archive, © Robert Whitaker