Art Shay

Car Reflection, 1958, Black and White Photograph Appeared in LIFE Magazine

circa 2017

“Through a black and white lens, hidden stories of everyday objects become apparent. The juxtaposition of strong light and dark shadows transform and illuminate detail that would otherwise be dismissed. Diminutive elements become rich in meaning allowing compositions to effortlessly evolve. As I attempt to uncover the hidden truth of the world around me, I am inevitably mesmerized by it and I hope you will be too.” A self-taught photographer, Kirill Polevoy, first started making photographs with an old Russian film camera...

This was seemingly always a seedy joint. Opened in 1906 for the Jones, Linick & Schaefer circuit as the U.S. Music Hall, it was shut down briefly in 1916 for indecency, as it was always primarily a burlesque house. In 1922 an abandoned baby was found there; in 1932 there was a rapist and killer caught there; over the years gambling was broken up, mob links were found, and it was shut down repeatedly. By 1934 it had become the State-Harrison Theatre. By the mid-1940’s, it had gone burlesque before the city shut it down at the end of 1954 for lewd conduct. By 1967 it was called the Rialto Theatre, probably for the associations people had with the old Rialto Theatre a couple blocks north, when it was shut down again. It reopened in 1971. In November 1974 it closed briefly after being victim of a series of coordinated bombings of Chicago porn houses - the Rialto Theatre, Follies Theatre, Newberry Theatre, and Bijou Theatre were victims. It soon reopened, but was shut down for good a few months later in 1975 as part of a code crackdown that shut a number of theatres. Art Shay State Street Strip Joint Near Death, 1966 archival pigment print, unnumbered edition 16h x 20w in 40.64h x 50.80w cm ASY169 “Art Shay’s photography shakes you up, sets you down gently, pats you on the head and then kicks you in the ass.” Roger Ebert “[Shay’s work] ranks with some of the greats of the 20th century.” Ellen & Richard Sandor, Renowned photo collectors “I’ve admired Art Shay’s work for almost forty years, and he keeps getting better. He can do anything with a camera, but what he mostly does is capture real moments and transform them into visual poetry. His work continues to be an inspiration to me.” William Friedkin, Director of French Connection “Art Shay is one of our finest photographers. His work over the past fifty years has artfully captured the beauty, humor, and pathos of America.” Studs Terkel “Art Shay is one of the best photojournalists I know. I’ve been a fan of his work since the early 1950s - before the launch of playboy magazine.” Hugh Hefner “Algren, Terkel, Royko, they gave us a voice. Art Shay gave us a face.” Tony Fitzpatrick, Chicago Artist “Art Shay is America’s Cartier-Bresson.” Thomas Dyja, author of The Third Coast “Chicago’s Art Shay in many ways is to American photography what Nelson Algren was to American writing: that rare and absolutely necessary citizen who’s blessed with a cold eye, a clear head, and a warm heart. What is it about Chicago that keeps giving us men like this?” Russell Banks, Novelist “The best images of Simone de Beauvoir and her times have been passed down to us by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gisele Freund, Robert Doisneau, Georges Brassai, and in America, the Chicago-based Art Shay, all world-class photographers.” Christophe Loviny, Art Editor, Paris “Art Shay is the best photo-journalist Chicago ever produced.” Arthur Siegel...

The harsh, grim landscape of the surface of mars is the subject of Kirill Polevoy's black and white photograph entitled "Mars on Earth, Michigan". By bringing the angle of the photo down to the ground, there is an even greater sparseness to the stark landscape. Yet with a closer look, we see the boulders and sand are actually melted snow piles. This large format photograph is unframed. Please contact the gallery for framing options. Kirill Polevoy Mars on Earth, Michigan archival pigment print 60h x 40w in 152.40h x 101.60w cm 1/20 KIP034 “Through a black and white lens, hidden stories of everyday objects become apparent. The juxtaposition of strong light and dark shadows transform and illuminate detail that would otherwise be dismissed. Diminutive elements become rich in meaning allowing compositions to effortlessly evolve. As I attempt to uncover the hidden truth of the world around me, I am inevitably mesmerized by it and I hope you will be too.” A self-taught photographer, Kirill Polevoy, first started making photographs with an old Russian film camera...

A lone rooster struts before the camera on a sparse landscape. The simplicity of this black and white photograph brings the rooster to life as he puffs his chest out showing us his masculinity. This photograph is unframed. Please contact the gallery for framing options. Kirill Polevoy Rooster, Colorado, 2021 archival pigment print 16h x 20w in 40.64h x 50.80w cm 1/30 KIP040 “Through a black and white lens, hidden stories of everyday objects become apparent. The juxtaposition of strong light and dark shadows transform and illuminate detail that would otherwise be dismissed. Diminutive elements become rich in meaning allowing compositions to effortlessly evolve. As I attempt to uncover the hidden truth of the world around me, I am inevitably mesmerized by it and I hope you will be too.” A self-taught photographer, Kirill Polevoy, first started making photographs with an old Russian film camera...

“Art Shay’s photography shakes you up, sets you down gently, pats you on the head and then kicks you in the ass.” Roger Ebert “[Shay’s work] ranks with some of the greats of the 20...

Art Shay Brooklyn: Crossing the Street, 1952 silver gelatin print 24.25 x 20.25 framed ASY095 Art Shay photographed the community of Brooklyn, IL for Ebony Magazine, 1952. These ph...

Chris McCaw’s ongoing project ‘Sunburn’ has caught fire in recent years, and McCaw’s work exhibits internationally, including: the Getty museum in LA, the Somerset House Trust in Lon...

Light and Shadow (Ghost Town) - 2021 Sketches of a downtown disappearing. 40x40cm, Edition of 7, plus 2 Artist proofs. Digital silver gelatin print based on a Polaroid. Signed o...

Occulas (Ghost Town) - 2021 Sketches of a downtown disappearing. 40x40cm, Edition of 7, plus 2 Artist proofs. Digital silver gelatin print based on a Polaroid. Signed on back wi...

Tower Motel 2 (Ghost Town) - 2021 Sketches of a downtown disappearing. 40x40cm, Edition of 7, plus 2 Artist proofs. Digital silver gelatin print based on a Polaroid. Signed on b...

Tower Motel 1 (Ghost Town) - 2021 Sketches of a downtown disappearing. 40x40cm, Edition of 7, plus 2 Artist proofs. Digital silver gelatin print based on a Polaroid. Signed on b...

City Sky (Ghost Town) - 2020 Sketches of a downtown disappearing. 40x40cm, Edition of 7, plus 2 Artist proofs. Digital silver gelatin print based on a Polaroid. Signed on back wi...