Tom Murray's The Beatles Collection, The Mad Day: Summer of '68 Now at Soho Contemporary Art Through June 16th

July 28, 1968 was one of those perfect English summer dayswhen British photographer, Tom Murray, photographed the famed rock and roll group. The shoot was done on the run (literally) all over London in order to escape the hordes of screaming Beatles fans that followed them everywhere. Rushing from location to location inspired the name of the famous collection: The Mad Day: Summer of '68.These images would become the LAST publicity shoot of all four Beatles together- and represent the quintessential Beatles at the height of their psychedelic period and are considered the most important color photographs of the group. The Beatles officially disbanded in 1970.

After Tom created the photographs, he edited them to twenty-three slides on the advice of renowned photographer and friend, Eve Arnold who said, "keep the best, ditch the rest." And in his desk, the negatives stayed for 23 years. In 1986, Tom found the original slides of the Mad Day when he moved to LA to work with famed director, John Schlesinger. Tom did not publish the full series of photographs until he met gallerists Rick and Irene Rounick. The photographs, available in a 20 X 24 format size, are hand-signed and numbered from a limited-edition series of 185. They are also available in a 30 X 40 format size, hand-signed and numbered from a limited-edition series of only 50.

The Mad Day Collection, which originally debuted in New York, is back with Irene and Rick Rounick, founders and owners of Soho Contemporary Art. The Rounicks, are ecstatic to bring Tom and the Mad Day Collection home. "Tom is a great photographer and our Gallery is thrilled to welcome him back to the family." The full collection will open Thursday, May 31stwith a private VIP reception celebrating the 50thyear and will be open to the public starting June 1st. The show runs through June 16th.

The Mad Day Collection has showed internationally in museums and galleries in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Paris, Sweden and London where the opening ceremony of a permanent collection at the Museum in Docklands was officiated by the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and Stockholm where the collection was presented in honor of the Queen of Sweden. The Museum of Radio and Television in Los Angeles also has a selection of the photographs in its permanent collection.

About Tom Murray:

Tom Murray is an award-winning photographer whose work spans portraiture, theater, fashion, advertising, newspapers and magazines. He perfected his craft working for newspapers, becoming the head of photography for The SundayTimes Colour Magazine, London's first Sunday magazine. He then worked alongside master photographers Helmut Newton and Lord Snowdon.

At twenty-five, he received a commission from the Royal Family, becoming the youngest person to receive this honor, and has since immortalized subjects such as Elizabeth Taylor, Angelica Huston, Dustin Hoffman, Visconti, John Schlesinger, Armani and Ralph Lauren, etc.

His success has enabled him to donate his photographs to a number of causes close to his heart. He has been significantly involved with the Make a Wish Foundation, Project Angel Food and Friends in Need, Cancer Care, Help the Hospice, Help for Hero's among many, many others. In addition to having raised over 2.5 million dollars directly through his photographic donations, he has helped raise over 6 million dollars by donating as part of group shows. In all Tom has worked on behalf of 32 charities worldwide. His photographs individually have received bids as high as tens of thousands of dollars.

About Soho Contemporary Art:

Rick and Irene Rounick have been at the forefront of the contemporary art movement for well over 30 years. They have an impressive roster of established and emerging artists from pop and contemporary culture including: Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat and recently added legendary graffiti artist Cope 2. As such, Soho Contemporary Art is a great source for art aficionado's wishing to add to their collections as well as new collectors. The Gallery is located on the lower East Side of Manhattan at 259 Bowery. Rick and Irene, always ahead of the trends, were one of the earliest galleries to move to the Bowery locale.

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