BILLINGS A rare and personal look at John Lennon is on display in Billings this weekend, told through the photographs and memories of the woman who was by his side.Listen to May Pang speak about her time with John Lennon: May P ang showcases personal photos and memories of John Lennon to Billings galleryFor decades, the 18 months that May Pang spent with John Lennon have been defined by a nickname she never chose: "The Lost Weekend."Now, Pang is traveling the country with a collection of personal photographs from that period, offering audiences what she said is a more complete and accurate account of both Lennon and the relationship they shared. This weekend, that exhibit is on display at Toucan Gallery in Billings, featuring dozens of photographs Pang took during her time with Lennon in the mid-1970s. The images range from candid portraits of the former Beatle to snapshots with his son, Julian, and fellow Beatles, capturing moments never intended for public viewing."I really didn't think people would be interested," Pang said. "These were photos that I would take for us, me and John, just to have, nothing more."Pang was 22 years old and working as an assistant to Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, when her relationship with Lennon began in 1973 during the couple's separation. She had worked for the pair for several years in New York before Ono suggested the relationship. Who would have thought that the first serious guy that you date is this guy who's the most famous man of the 20th century? she said. "I didn't want to do it, and it was because John was the one who kept, and he said, 'You know what? If (Ono's) insisting that I should go out with somebody, let's go.'"The relationship lasted about 18 months and has since become known as Lennon's "Lost Weekend," a phrase popularized by the media and later documentaries. Pang rejects the characterization. "When you read what happened or watch a documentary and see all the things that John and I did together, they go, 'It's not a lost time,'" she said. I love when the public likes to make what my situation is. They know nothing.Instead, Pang describes the period as one of discovery and growth for both of them. The exhibit offers a version of Lennon that fans rarely see, not the global superstar, but the individual behind the fame."Even though he was 10 years older than me, it was like we were discovering things together because he didn't get a chance to do that as a Beatle, said Pang. "He was a sensitive, insecure person, but he had a talent that was a force in this world. Many of the photographs show Lennon in informal settings, surrounded by friends and family, including his son, Julian. Pang recalls casual encounters with famous musicians such as Mick Jagger and memories involving fellow Beatles Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. But she says celebrity status rarely entered her mind at the time."These were people that were his friends. They just happened to be famous," Pang said. "What you're seeing here, it's just really John through my eyes. It's the way I saw him."The Toucan Gallery is owned by artists and married couple Mark Sanderson and Allison O'Donnell. The gallery regularly features local and regional artists as a way to make art more accessible in Billings. Sanderson said bringing Pang's work to Billings offered a rare opportunity for local audiences.It's kind of fun to bring in something that's just completely something that Billings wouldn't experience otherwise," he said. "It's a very unique show."Beyond the images themselves, Sanderson said visitors gain a unique opportunity to hear the stories directly from the person who lived them."She's a great storyteller," said Sanderson. "At most art exhibits, you get an explanation on the wall, but to really actually have the person here that live the moment and be able to tell the stories, I think, is amazing." Pang said the relationship eventually faded out, but she never lost contact with Lennon until his death in 1980. More than 50 years later, she said she doesn't mind telling others her story."It's just nice to know that he's still around," she said. "His spirit is still here."For years, Pang largely stayed out of public debates about her relationship with Lennon that she felt was often misrepresented. Now, she says, traveling with the exhibit is part of reclaiming a story that others have told for her. He's still in my life, and people are hijacking my life and telling the story not correctly, and why should I not correct my life?" said Pang. "It's time to take it back. I didn't for a long time, and then finally I said, 'That's not the way it happened. I have to do something now.'Pang encourages visitors to watch the documentary "The Lost Weekend" before attending the exhibition, which runs Friday through Sunday at the gallery, located at 1002 Second Ave N. Pang will be there from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. ...read more read less