May Pang with artwork, 2023
Few people knew John Lennon as intimately as May Pang. Ms. Pang was Lennon’s lover during the infamous “Lost Weekend” which lasted 18 months during late 1973 through 1975. During this creative time for Mr. Lennon, Ms. Pang took candid photos of Mr. Lennon in a comfortable, relaxed environment. A collection of these private photographs will be on display and available for purchase at ArtsBuild, 301 E. 11th St., on Tuesday, April 23, and Wednesday, April 24. Admission to the exhibit is free to the public. All works are available to purchase.
Ms. Pang will be at ArtsBuild, meeting customers and telling stories behind the limited-edition photographs for sale of Mr. Lennon. Some of the funds generated by sales of the photographs will benefit ArtsBuild.
During the “Lost Weekend,” with Ms. Pang's help, Mr. Lennon had his most artistically and commercially productive period post-Beatles, with the albums "Mind Games," "Walls and Bridges," which included his only #1 Hit Single "Whatever Gets You Through the Night," "Rock and Roll," and collaboration with Rock legends Elton John, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Mick Jagger, and Ringo, among others. Also, on that album, Ms. Pang can be heard on the song “#9 Dream” where she whispers John’s name in the song. Another song on the album “Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)” was written about Ms. Pang.
Ms. Pang also encouraged Mr. Lennon to reconnect with his family and his friends, which ultimately led to a reunion with Paul McCartney and a memorable jam session between the two Beatles. Ms. Pang also arranged for Julian Lennon to visit his father for the first time in almost three years. One of Ms. Pang’s photographs of Julian Lennon graces the cover of Julian’s latest album entitled “Jude.”
Mr. Lennon also went into the studio with friend Harry Nilsson during this time and produced his album “Pussy Cats.” It was during this time that Ms. Pang rented a house in Santa Monica and moved in with Mr. Lennon and fellow partiers Ringo Starr, Keith Moon (The Who), and Harry Nilsson. Several photos from this time also appear in the exhibition. Other highlights of the exhibition include the only photograph that exists of Mr. Lennon signing the contract to dissolve the Beatles as well as one of the last known photographs of Mr. Lennon and Mr. McCartney together from March 29, 1974. Both photographs have never been available to the public until now.
Ms. Pang has also published three books on her times with Mr. Lennon including Loving John, John Lennon: The Lost Weekend, and Instamatic Karma featuring photos from her private archives.
"The Lost Weekend: The Photography of May Pang” coincides with the recent digital release of the feature film documentary The Lost Weekend: A Love Story produced by Briarcliff Entertainment. Watch the film’s trailer here. (Available on Amazon Prime, AppleTV, YouTube, Xfinity, Verizon, and Vudu).
“The Lost Weekend: The Photography of May Pang” exhibition will provide fans a rare opportunity to see Mr. Lennon in a new light, through the lens of someone who knew him intimately during one of the most creative periods of his life.