The Lost Weekend: The Photography of May Pang

Sep 22 2023 - Sep 24 2023

Pop-up Exhibition
September 22 – September 24, 2023

May Pang will be in attendance

Opening Reception
September 22, 2023, 4 – 8 p.m.

Gallery Hours
Friday, September 22, 2023
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 23, 2023
12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, September 24, 2023
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Bitfactory Gallery at 851 Santa Fe Dr is excited to host The Lost Weekend: The Photograph of May Pang Pop-up Exhibition. May Pang, John Lennon’s lover during his Lost Weekend era to showcase her candid photos of Lennon at a special three-day Pop-up Exhibition at Bitfactory Gallery. All works will be available for purchase. Few people knew John Lennon as intimately as May Pang.  Pang was Lennon’s lover during the infamous Lost Weekend which lasted 18 months during late 1973 through 1975.  During this highly creative time for Lennon, Pang took candid photos of Lennon in a comfortable, relaxed environment. A collection of these private photographs will be on display and available for purchase at BitfactoryGallery, 851 Santa Fe Dr, Denver, CO on Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24.  Admission to the exhibit is free to the public and all works are available to purchase. See John as May saw him!

May Pang will be in attendance at Bitfactory Gallery, meeting customers and telling stories behind these amazing limited-edition photographs of John Lennon.

During the Lost Weekend, with May‘s help, 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 Pang can be heard on the song #9 Dreamwhere she whispers John’s name in the song.  Another song on the album Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox) was written about Pang.

Pang also encouraged 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. Pang also arranged for Julian Lennon to visit his father for the first time in almost three years.  One of Pang’s photographs of Julian Lennon graces the cover of Julian’s latest album entitled Jude.

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 Pangrented a house in Santa Monica and moved in with 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 John Lennon signing the contract to dissolve the Beatles as well as the last known photograph of John Lennon and Paul McCartney together (March 29, 1974).

Pang has also published three books on her times with Lennon including Loving John, John Lennon – The Lost Weekend and Instamatic Karmafeaturing photos from her private archives. The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang coincides with the feature film documentary The Lost Weekend: A Love Story that premiered in theaters in April 2023.  Watch the film’s trailer here: youtu.be/6v07NzukoZU

Bitfactory Gallery, located at 851 Santa Fe Drive in the heart of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe, exhibits work by the best emerging and up-and-coming local, national, and international visual artists. It strives to showcase art that may not be a good fit for other galleries. Additionally, they host one major or renowned artist a year, bringing new and exciting work to Denver. The Bitfactory building also houses artist studios with the vision of providing a helpful, friendly atmosphere for artists to work solo or collaborate with others. Gallery hours for the pop-up event are Friday, September 22, 2023, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday, September 23, 2023, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, September 24, 2023, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. For additional information please contact Bill Thomason at [email protected] or (303) 862-9367

www.bitfactory.net