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New Exhibition
SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 – MAY 13, 2027
Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon
Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon explores the artist’s decades-long effort to photograph artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers she admired, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Sondheim, Maya Lin, Roy Lichtenstein, and Seiji Ozawa. Created in the intimate environments of personal studios and workplaces, these 133 portraits look behind public accolades to reveal a quiet, private presence. Unfolding in two parts (fall and spring), the exhibition presents, for the first time, the entirety of Katz’s Pantheon.
Nancy Lee Katz (1947–2018), Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1994, Gelatin silver print, Gift of Michael S. Sachs, 2024.1.51.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Behind the Scenes: Insights into Nancy Lee Katz with Michael S. Sachs
Nov 2 @ 12:00 pm
Join the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life for Behind the Scenes: Insights into Nancy Lee Katz with Michael S. Sachs, a special lunch and learn on the life and work of the photographer with her partner. Sachs will be in conversation with Magnes Senior Curator, Dr. Alissa Schapiro. Questions and discussion welcome.
NEWS
Ari’el Stachel has a Jewish story you need to hear
The Tony and Grammy Award–winning performer, Ari’el Stachel, is bringing the acclaimed one-man play back to his home turf for a special performance at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
Latest News
News about the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. Learn about exhibitions, programs, events, and collection highlights.
Ari’el Stachel has a Jewish story you need to hear
Tony Winner Ari’el Stachel Brings Acclaimed Solo Show Other to the Magnes. Challenging traditional narratives of the American Jewish experience, Ari’el Stachel’s Other delivers a powerful, laugh-out-loud solo performance that dismantles stereotypes and expands our...
The Magnes Kicks Off Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon with Previews and Panel Discussions
On September 2, 2026, the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life officially opened Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon, unveiling a portrait project that had remained hidden from the public eye for decades. The opening programs brought together museum leadership and...
Inspiring Future Generations
The Magnes has been humming with energy as we reopen for the new year with a remarkable photography exhibition, Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon. Katz’s portrait of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stands in the center of the gallery, blown up to...
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