When Professor Bill Barrett goes searching for the next great exhibit to display at the May Gallery, he isn’t always looking for one specific thing.

“I want to show the broadest range of photography that I can,” said Barrett, the gallery’s director. “I want to show the community what photography can be.”

It can be beautiful, emotional, simple and complex. But in the halls of the May Gallery, the work is always going to be first-rate.

The May Gallery opened in 1988 and today remains the premiere gallery in the St. Louis area dedicated to showcasing a wide range of photographic work. Exhibits in the past have highlighted the work of David Vestal, Paul Goldman, Robert LaRouche and scores of Webster faculty and alumni.

“I think the response to (the gallery) is a big part of it for me,” Barrett said. “People around the University tend to notice us.”



An ongoing show features the work of alumnus Chad Schneider (BA, Photography, 1998). The show, “new york is a friendly town,” runs through Oct. 24. And Schneider is hardly the first Webster graduate to have his work on display at the May Gallery.

“It’s a pretty special thing to be coming back for this show,” Schneider said. “My years at Webster were very formative from a creative standpoint and it’s exciting to see things come back to the place where my artistic life really began.”

Schneider said he’s especially excited about reconnecting with professors Barrett and Susan Hacker Stang at the gallery. Although, acknowledged it would be bittersweet since the late photography professor John Hilgert wouldn’t be there.

“John’s insistence that I only bring photos to class with people in them rather than clichéd images of forsaken industrial landscapes that was using as a creative crutch, was crucial,” Schneider said.

“His unwillingness to let me slide with “nice” but ultimately empty photographs is directly related to the work hanging in the May Gallery now and I think a lasting testament to the quality education a student can take away from Webster if they commit themselves fully to developing their own voice.”

The gallery offers a piece of itself to nearly everyone in the University community. In addition to alumni work, the gallery regularly features work from faculty and conducts a juried show for student photography. After all, it’s students who accept the responsibility of helping Barrett keep the gallery going.

Students enrolled in PHOT 4010 Photography Gallery Management help host openings, advertise upcoming shows and coordinate the physical needs of the space. They also network with professionals along with way.

“Show openings are great ways to network with other people with similar interests,” Barrett said. “This business is all about networking. Photographers are a very social community and, by and large, very willing to help others. You just have to meet them first.”

For more information about The May Gallery or to join its growing mailing list, contact Bill Barrett at mgallery@webster.edu.

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