© Alexander Artway, Untitled (Grand Central Station Window), c. 1930
September 10, 2025
Amie Potsic interviewed Jeanette Artway Jimenez—an educator, cultural steward, and daughter of photographer Alexander Artway, a European immigrant who documented his life and experiences through a striking visual record of photographs, and Katie Tackman, Manager of the Artway Artchive.
The Old City Jewish Art Center proudly presents Alexander Artway’s Photography: Light & Legacy, on view September 2–28, 2025. Curated by Amie Potsic, CEO & Principal Curator of Amie Potsic Art Advisory, the exhibition is a featured program of the 20/20 Photo Festival in Philadelphia and unveils the extraordinary archive of photographer Alexander Artway alongside contemporary works by photographer Katie Butterfield Tackman.
Together, their images illuminate the enduring power of photography to preserve memory, document history, and reveal the poetry of light.
The Alexander Artway Archive, based in Philadelphia, houses approximately 3,000 vintage prints and 4,000 negatives. It is dedicated to preserving, researching, and promoting Artway’s photography, ensuring his artistic legacy continues to inspire future generations.
Amie Potsic, Jeanette Artway Jimenez, and Katie Tackman at Old City Jewish Art Center 2025
Jeanette Jimenez is a Philadelphia educator and cultural steward whose work bridges the classroom and the preservation of her family’s artistic legacy.
A Temple University graduate, she inspired generations of students through the Parkway program—including Cherelle Parker, now Philadelphia’s first female mayor, who credits Jimenez with helping her find her voice.
Jimenez is also the daughter of photographer Alexander Artway, whose archive of thousands of prints and negatives she rescued after decades in storage. Through education and preservation, Jimenez has dedicated her life to amplifying voices and honoring history.
Katie Tackman is a Philadelphia-based photographer, fine art printer, and Manager of the Artway Archive. A graduate of Drexel University in Photography, she is the founder of Butterfield Editions, specializing in photo editing and fine art printing for artists. She is also a founding member of Gravy Studio + Gallery and co-founder of the 20/20 Photo Festival, helping to shape the city’s photography community through exhibitions and programming. In collaboration with the Alexander Artway Archive, Tackman creates collages that merge her contemporary photography with Artway’s historic imagery, exploring history, memory, and narrative.
Alexander Artway (1903–1970s), born Alexander Artemiev in Gomel, Belarus, lived a life shaped by exile, migration, and reinvention. After years in Europe, he immigrated to New York in 1922, where the city’s architecture inspired him to earn a degree from NYU in 1934.
Though trained as an architect, Artway expressed his vision through photography—documenting New York’s rising skyline, his global travels as a Merchant Marine captain, and his family life in Philadelphia. His work reflects the immigrant experience, resilience through change, and a deep appreciation for the modern world.
© Alexander Artway, Untitled (Fire & Water Tower), c. 1930
© Jeanette Jimenez at Alexander Artway’s Photography: Light & Legacy, 2025
Alexander Artway’s Photography: Light & Legacy is part of the the 20/20 Photo Festival in Philadelphia. The 20/20 Photo Festival celebrates the diversity of contemporary photography while honoring its historical roots. Bringing together local, national, and international voices, the festival creates space for dialogue, creative exchange, and artistic expression. With a mission to make photography accessible to all, it offers free, public programming designed to educate, inspire, and engage. Held citywide throughout September, the festival features artist talks, panel discussions, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, and interactive events for audiences of all ages.
Alexander Artway Archive - Light and Legacy Exhibition, installation view, 2025
© Katie Butterfield Tackman and Alexander Artway, Collage 3, 2025
© Alexander Artway, Untitled (Luna), c. 1930
To learn more about Artway Archive visit, https://www.alexanderartway.com/
To learn more about the 20/20 Photo Festival in Philadelphia, visit: https://www.2020photofestival.org/
To learn more about The Old City Jewish Arts Center, visit: https://www.ocjac.org/
Banner Image: © Alexander Artway, Untitled (At The Helm), c. 1930