The Art Photography of Pattie Boyd
She had Eric Clapton on his knees and George Harrison needing no other lover. Most famous for inspiring two of the greatest love songs of all time during marriages to both of these men, the legendary rock muse Pattie Boyd is now showing – for the first time in Australia – her personal collection of photographs taken during both relationships.
Scoring a small role as a Beatles-crazed schoolgirl in the 1964 film A Hard Day’s Night the relatively unknown model soon became a household name after being begged for a date by an infatuated Harrison. As it became apparent that the relationship was serious Boyd endured the fury of jealous Beatle fans. Kicked abused and stalked — yet nothing deterred Boyd from marrying the Beatles’ guitarist.
Her marriage to Harrison gave Boyd entry into the world of rock and roll royalty where she mucked around with photography capturing intimate shots of The Rolling Stones The Beatles Clapton and other famous friends.
The collection which is showing as part of the Images of Rock’n’Roll exhibition at Melbourne’s Silver K Gallery gives a rare opportunity to show the individuals behind the superstar personae. We see Ronnie Wood the artist painting his friends we see an in-love Harrison lying on a bed we see Clapton and Harrison chatting on a couch — giving us a glimpse of the friendship before Clapton fell for his friend’s wife.
Boyd embodied sixties sex appeal. Mick Jagger tried to seduce her Ronnie Wood did seduce her and Harrison’s good friend Clapton became obsessed with her. Idol to the icon Twiggy has even said that Boyd was a major influence upon her own look.
It was this allure that inspired Harrison to pen ‘something in the way she moves attracts me like no other lover’. This song “Something” has even had seduction god Frank Sinatra deeming it the best love song in fifty years.
Despite his love for the English model Harrison couldn’t resist his fans the “Apple Scruffs” who lingered outside the Abbey Road studios. Sick of being cheated on Boyd hit-on her husband’s friend Clapton. Still in love with Harrison, Boyd ended the affair pretty quickly. Clapton didn’t take it well and wrote probably one of the most plaintive and definitive love song of our times “Layla” about his unrequited love for Boyd.
Harrison finally ended his marriage in 1973 however later he tried to work things out with Boyd - yet she had run off with Clapton. The new couple married in 1979 but after ten years Clapton’s drug addictions and infidelities led to its collapse. The flawed marriage along with Clapton’s destructive behaviour was regularly played out in the media. Despite this Boyd’s photographs reveal a calm and loving side of the relationship.
Now living in the English countryside with her partner of 13 years, real estate developer Rod Weston, Boyd’s life couldn’t be further removed from the drug, sex and party lifestyle of the rock ‘n’ roll elite. Preferring not to dwell on the past the photographs momentarily allow her to go back to a different lifetime. This is ultimately the beauty of the collection. Boyd has managed to portray her superstar subjects with such familiarity that we too can briefly feel part of their world.
Images of Rock 'n' Roll is running now until June 28 at Silver K Gallery, 1092 High Street Armadale.
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10.00am - 5.30pm Saturday 10.30am - 5.30pm & Sunday 11.30am - 5.30 pm
Words: Jean Kemshal-Bell
Scoring a small role as a Beatles-crazed schoolgirl in the 1964 film A Hard Day’s Night the relatively unknown model soon became a household name after being begged for a date by an infatuated Harrison. As it became apparent that the relationship was serious Boyd endured the fury of jealous Beatle fans. Kicked abused and stalked — yet nothing deterred Boyd from marrying the Beatles’ guitarist.
Her marriage to Harrison gave Boyd entry into the world of rock and roll royalty where she mucked around with photography capturing intimate shots of The Rolling Stones The Beatles Clapton and other famous friends.
The collection which is showing as part of the Images of Rock’n’Roll exhibition at Melbourne’s Silver K Gallery gives a rare opportunity to show the individuals behind the superstar personae. We see Ronnie Wood the artist painting his friends we see an in-love Harrison lying on a bed we see Clapton and Harrison chatting on a couch — giving us a glimpse of the friendship before Clapton fell for his friend’s wife.
Boyd embodied sixties sex appeal. Mick Jagger tried to seduce her Ronnie Wood did seduce her and Harrison’s good friend Clapton became obsessed with her. Idol to the icon Twiggy has even said that Boyd was a major influence upon her own look.
It was this allure that inspired Harrison to pen ‘something in the way she moves attracts me like no other lover’. This song “Something” has even had seduction god Frank Sinatra deeming it the best love song in fifty years.
Despite his love for the English model Harrison couldn’t resist his fans the “Apple Scruffs” who lingered outside the Abbey Road studios. Sick of being cheated on Boyd hit-on her husband’s friend Clapton. Still in love with Harrison, Boyd ended the affair pretty quickly. Clapton didn’t take it well and wrote probably one of the most plaintive and definitive love song of our times “Layla” about his unrequited love for Boyd.
Harrison finally ended his marriage in 1973 however later he tried to work things out with Boyd - yet she had run off with Clapton. The new couple married in 1979 but after ten years Clapton’s drug addictions and infidelities led to its collapse. The flawed marriage along with Clapton’s destructive behaviour was regularly played out in the media. Despite this Boyd’s photographs reveal a calm and loving side of the relationship.
Now living in the English countryside with her partner of 13 years, real estate developer Rod Weston, Boyd’s life couldn’t be further removed from the drug, sex and party lifestyle of the rock ‘n’ roll elite. Preferring not to dwell on the past the photographs momentarily allow her to go back to a different lifetime. This is ultimately the beauty of the collection. Boyd has managed to portray her superstar subjects with such familiarity that we too can briefly feel part of their world.
Images of Rock 'n' Roll is running now until June 28 at Silver K Gallery, 1092 High Street Armadale.
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10.00am - 5.30pm Saturday 10.30am - 5.30pm & Sunday 11.30am - 5.30 pm
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Words: Jean Kemshal-Bell
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