TAOS, NM.- A series of rare photographs, taken by Washington DC-based photographer Mike Mitchell during the Beatles' 1964 inaugural United States stage concert, will be the centerpiece of the annual Fine Art Photography Invitational to be held at David Anthony Fine Art Taos New Mexico, from August 2, 2013 through August 30, 2013. The 18 limited edition prints are the first series of the Beatles photographs shown since the 2011 Christie’s auction, “The Beatles Illuminated: The Discovered Works of Mike Mitchell,” which consisted of a one-a-kind edition that achieved more than $360,000 when auctioned. This Taos exhibition, called “Heading for the Light,” will be the first time the photos have been exhibited and on sale since the New York auction. Prices for the prints start at $2,000 and range to $34,000.

Additional works by Mike Mitchell that are part of “Heading for the Light” include 14 photographs from his new series “Lumi-Gnosis,” which focus specifically on light forms and reflections. “Lumi-Gnosis” continues Mitchell’s exploration of the emotive power of light, also seen in the Beatles series. “Heading for the Light” fits well into the town of Taos’ spiritual and artistic sensibility, as well as its location in the high dessert of New Mexico, known world over for its quality of light.

The 1964 Beatles concert in the Washington Coliseum in Washington, DC, Mitchell’s hometown, was the first live Beatles concert in the U.S., and took place two days after their unforgettable Ed Sullivan Show appearance, their first on American television. Mitchell, then 18 years old, was granted a press pass to the concert that gained him access to photograph this defining moment in American pop culture. Having no flash available for his camera, Mitchell was forced to use existing light. Some of the resulting negatives, taken with low ambient light, were barely readable until the advancement of technology allowed their full realization. Today, Mitchell's dynamically nuanced images are appreciated for their artistic merit and historical significance.

DAFA owner David Mapes is excited to be offering Mitchell his first gallery representation with 'Heading for the Light.’ Noting that Taos became a mecca for artists captivated by its luminance, Mapes said, "In this incredible Beatles series and in his newer, profoundly mystical works, Mitchell's photographs mesmerize the viewer with their play of light and shadow and create intense visual experiences.”

The Annual DAFA Photography Invitational will host an opening reception on August 2, 2013, and the show will run through August 30. On Saturday, August 3, from 1:30 to 5:30, Mike Mitchell and other artists including William Davis, will give a free talk in the Arthur Bell Auditorium at the Harwood Museum of Art, and a screening of the new short film by Steve Zeisman, “Looking for Mr. Stieglitz,” will be shown. DAFA is located at 132 Kit Carson Road, Taos, NM.