Art Shay: An America So Real preview at Soho Photo Gallery

Art Shay: An America So Real 
October 14, 2026
6:30pm - 8pm

Soho Photo Gallery
539 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011

Meet the director behind the upcoming documentary, “Art Shay: An America So Real.”
See a sneak preview of the film followed by a Q&A with Director Ken Hanson.

About the Film:

Directed and produced by first-time filmmakers Ken Hanson and Jack Davidson, along with editor and producer Dave Myszewski, the feature-length documentary introduces audiences to photojournalist, Art Shay. Over a remarkable career spanning seven decades, Shay photographed everyone from presidents, celebrities, sports legends and cultural icons to the everyday life of 20th century America. Yet, despite his work appearing on hundreds of covers of major publications including Life, Look, Time, Saturday Evening Post, Forbes and others, he remains relatively unknown outside his hometown Chicago. 

This film is more than a biography—it’s a story about courage and compassion. It’s a portrait of an artist, the son of Russian immigrants, who believed so strongly in the promise of America that he fought for it during World War II—and for the rest of his life on the streets, with his camera. Art Shay’s work speaks to our current times in profound ways and continues to influence a new generation of photojournalists.

 Learn More: artshayfilm.com

This event is co-sponsored by Soho Photo Gallery, APA National, and The Lucie Foundation.

About Soho Photo Gallery: Soho Photo Gallery is New York City’s longest operating member-run photography gallery. The gallery exhibits a wide range of fine-art photography including individual member shows, gallery-wide themed exhibits, national competitions and prestigious guest exhibitions. Soho Photo offers its members the unique opportunity of being a part of a diverse community of fellow photographers and personal growth as a fine-art photographer. The gallery also offers workshops, lectures and other programming open to the public. We invite photographers who would like to join the gallery to submit a portfolio for review. ​Learn more here on our website. https://www.sohophoto.com/

About APA: APA offers inspiration, education, and advocacy. Our membership structure gives every photographer an affordable way to belong to a community of like-minded professionals. Learn more here on their website. https://apanational.org/

About the Lucie Foundation: The Lucie Foundation, is a 501(c) 3 non-profit, charitable foundation . The foundation presents year-round programming to support photographers. The signature program of the Lucie Foundation is the Lucie Awards. The Lucie Awards is a biannual gala ceremony that celebrates master photographers and their contributions to the field of photography. Honorees are determined by the Lucie Awards advisory board. Other programs include photography membership, The Lucie Technical Awards (LTA), The Lucie Impact Awards, The Lucie Photo Book Prize, The Story Behind the Image, Open Calls, exhibitions, photographer talks and workshops. The Lucie Foundation’s focus on emerging photographers is through the Lucie Scholarship program. The House of Lucie is the physical home for the Lucie Foundation and is a contemporary photography space showcasing the extraordinary work of the Lucie Award Honorees, as well as discovering and sharing the work of local and international photographic talent. Get more info here on their website. https://www.luciefoundation.org/about/