California Grass. May Pang and John Lennon, Palm Springs, CA, 1974. Photo by May Pang
BlackBird Frame & Art will host a two-day pop-up exhibition on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 12 and 13, from 12–7 p.m. both days. The Lost Weekend: The Photography of May Pang will feature candid photos of John Lennon taken by his companion and lover May Pang during his “Lost Weekend” era, a highly creative 18-month period for the artist between 1973 and 1975. The photographs will be available for purchase and Pang will be present during the event.
The Toy. John Lennon, Calico Ghost Town, CA, 1973. Photo by May Pang
Scheduled before anyone knew the devastation Hurricane Helene would bring, the exhibition will now also serve as an opportunity to give back to Asheville’s artists who have been impacted by flooding.“We at BlackBird have been impacted by the hurricane like everyone else here in the Asheville area, but we have been quite fortunate in that the entire team is alive and healthy, the building needs only minor repairs and all the art under our roof is safe,” says gallery owner Jean Stryker. “The destruction of the River Arts District and hardships of the people in this area is heartbreaking.” In light of this, she adds, the gallery will donate 5 percent of sales from this exhibition to help those in need.
“May Pang’s limited edition photographs capture Lennon in rare moments, and the fact that she will be here to discuss the background of these photos makes this event a very special and unique opportunity,” says Stryker.
This event coincides with the recent digital release of the feature film documentary The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, produced by Briarcliff Entertainment and available on a variety of streaming services. During the Lost Weekend, Lennon generated his number one single “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” and a number one album, Walls & Bridges. “In addition,” says Pang, “John wrote the song ‘Surprise Surprise’ for me which appeared on his Walls and Bridges album. John also invited me into the studio to whisper his name on the song ‘#9 Dream’ as well as singing background on the song as a member of The 44th Street Fairies.”
Father & Son. Julian Lennon and John Lennon, Long Island Sound, NY, 1974. Photo by May Pang
Pang feels it’s important to share this intimate perspective of Lennon with the public. “Many of the stories of John during this era made him out to be a drunk,” she says. “He was not that way. In fact, he recorded three albums, wrote with David Bowie, recorded with Elton John, worked with Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, Johnny Winter, Mick Jagger and Harry Nilsson all in this time period. This is John through my eyes, smiling, happy and relaxed, not what the press made it out to be.”
BlackBird Frame & Art is located at 365 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville. For more information, visit BlackBirdFrame.com.
