Magnes Collection to Exhibit Full Portraiture Series by Nancy Lee Katz
The University of California, Berkeley's Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life will host Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon, a two-part exhibition set to launch on September 2, 2026. Curated by Lauren Graves, Ph.D., this event will showcase Katz's extensive portraiture project, Pantheon, for the first time in full. The first segment will be available until December 17, 2026, while the second part will commence on January 19, 2027, running through May 13, 2027. Katz (1947–2018), who was born into a Jewish family in Los Angeles, was a talented photographer known for her work in Europe and Morocco, capturing influential artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers in their personal creative spaces from 1986 to 2010.
Key facts
- The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at UC Berkeley will exhibit Nancy Lee Katz's Pantheon series in full.
- The exhibition is titled Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon and is curated by Lauren Graves, Ph.D.
- The exhibition is split into two parts: Part one opens September 2, 2026 and runs until December 17, 2026; Part two opens January 19, 2027 and runs through May 13, 2027.
- Nancy Lee Katz (1947–2018) was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish family.
- Katz traveled through Europe and Morocco and worked as an assistant film editor and still photographer.
- Between 1986 and 2010, Katz photographed prominent artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers.
- The portraits were created in the intimate environments of personal studios and workplaces.
- This is the first time the entire Pantheon series will be exhibited.
Entities
Artists
- Nancy Lee Katz
Institutions
- The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life
- University of California, Berkeley
Locations
- Berkeley
- United States
- Los Angeles
- Europe
- Morocco