Photographer Susan Wood Brings 70s Legends To Life In East Hampton

“It was an especially exciting time in my life,” Susan Wood told Hamptons.com at the opening reception of her exhibition, Right On! The Lennon Years Photographs by Susan Wood 1968 – 1978. “I love the pictures that came out.”

Susan Wood posing next to one of her John Lennon and Yoko Ono photos. (Photo: Krysten Massa)

On Saturday, August 8th, East Hampton Historical Society held an opening reception for their new exhibit, Right On! The Lennon Years Photographs by Susan Wood 1968 – 1978, at the historic barn at Mulford Farm.

Curator Deirdre Brennan said that she felt it was time to resurrect all of the old photos that Wood had stored away.

Aside from all of the prints hanging on the walls, there was also a short video interview with Wood on a T.V. screen, playing on repeat for guests to listen to. The video shared details about Wood’s work and her time spent photographing John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

The way that the photographer captured her subjects in pictures, especially Lennon and Ono, really gives the viewer a look into the life of that person. The personalities of the subjects really radiated out of each photo.

After walking around the exhibit, we had to find out which photo was Wood’s favorite. “I especially like the ones that were done in the hospital,” she said about the photos of Lennon and Ono in a hospital when Ono was trying to prevent a miscarriage. The couple felt comfortable enough with Wood to let her photograph them during such an intimate time. “It’s a lovely, tender relationship showed in those photos,” Wood noted. In the 60’s it was unheard of for a man to stay over in a hospital room with a woman who he was not married to, but Wood said that Lennon insisted and would not leave Ono’s side.

One of Wood’s photos of John Lennon sitting by Yoko Ono’s side while she is in the hospital. (Photo: Krysten Massa)

Many of the guests were excited about this blast-from-the-past and they lined up for a chance to talk to the artist about her work.

“It brings back recollections,” Gabrielle Bamberger, an attendee of the event, said. Bamberger remembered living in New York City and people being lined up down the street to see The Beatles play on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Attendees enjoy the exhibit. (Photo: Krysten Massa)

Wood currently lives in the Hamptons and said that she enjoys coming to Mulford Barn to show her work. “I’m delighted to see it and I’m delighted in a way to have my identity back as a photographer,” the artist said. “It’s really thrilling to have my work from my past shown and to get on doing more work.”

Right On! The Lennon Years Photographs by Susan Wood 1968 – 1978 is on view through Sunday, October 18th.

Mulford Farm Museum is located at 10 James Lane in East Hampton. For more information, call 631-324-6850 or visit easthamptonhistory.org.