Photography Gallery
Established in 1988, The Kooyumjian Gallery is a nonprofit gallery dedicated to photography and media arts. The gallery exhibits a wide range of photographic works by student, local, national and international photographers.
Newly remodeled and expanded as part of the School of Communications Sverdrup west wing renovations, the newly designed gallery space re-opened in the fall of 2022. The Kooyumjian Gallery provides a formal gallery space for presenting exhibitions, fostering young photographers and showcasing professional and student works.
The gallery and gallery events are free and open to the public.
Now on Exhibit:
Now on Exhibit:
Beginnings 2024: Juried High School Photography
Dec. 6, 2024 – Jan. 28, 2025
Image Credit: Michael Poulette, CBC
Image Credit: Sofi Aiello, Francis Howell
Image Credit: Ivan Leung, Parkway South
Image Credit: Julian Anderson, CBC
Image Credit: Anna Brotherton, Eureka
Image Credit: Will Harbaugh, De Smet Jesuit
This exhibit showcases the artistry of high school student photographers. The choice of subject, creativity and composition shares the immense talent of these students and shines a spotlight on the imagination of these teens. This year's competition was juried by professors Michael Long and Natalia Kaniasty from over 520 hundred entries of original photographic works from 31 high schools.
List of Exhibiting High Schools:
- Alton
- Belleville East High School
- Belleville West High School
- Brentwood High School
- Christian Brothers High School
- Cor Jesu Academy
- Crossroads College Prepatory School
- De Smet Jesuit High School
- Eureka High School
- Fox High School
- Francis Howell High School
- John Burroughs School
- Kirkwood High School
- Ladue High School
- Lafayette High School
- Lutheran South High School
- MICDS (Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School)
- Nerinx Hall
- Parkway North High School
- Parkway South High School
- Parkway West High School
- Ritenour High School
- SLUH (St. Louis University High School)
- St. Joseph's Academy
- The Fulton School
- Triad High School
- Washington High School
- Webster Groves High School
Join Us!
Reception and Gallery Talk with Professors Kaniasty and Long: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6
Upcoming Exhibitions
Upcoming Exhibitions
Matika Wilbur: Project 562
Matika Wilbur is a critically acclaimed social documentarian from the Swinomish and Tulalip peoples of coastal Washington. Project 562, her crowdfunded initiative to visit, engage, and photograph people from over 562 sovereign Tribal Nations in North America, is her fourth major creative venture elevating Native American identity and culture. She co-hosts the All My Relations podcast which has been downloaded over 3 million times. She has offered over 300 keynotes at such places as TED, Harvard, Yale and Google; and she recently unveiled her national Indigenous literacy curricula in partnership with the National Education Association. Wilbur is a National Geographic Explorer, and a regular contributor to the New York Times. In 2023, her book “Project 562: Changing The Way We See Native America” was released and instantly became a NYT Bestseller.
Special Reception: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28
Sideshow Spotlight — Simiya Sudduth
Simiya is a Black and Indigenous (Choctaw and Chickasaw) mother, multidisciplinary artist and art educator. They maintain a fluid creative practice that primarily manifests in the realm of public art and social practice. Their work explores the intersections of healing, ecology, social justice and spirituality. Simiya’s expansive creative practice ranges from digital illustration, designing and painting murals to experimental sound healing performances. Their work serves as a provocation for both personal and collective healing.
The FUSE: Faculty, Undergraduate and Senior Exhibit 2025
The FUSE is a collaborative exhibit of the Barrett Faculty Exhibit, the 38th Annual Undergraduate exhibit with a spotlight on the graduating seniors. A celebration of our creative community, this end of school year blowout captures the creative energy at Webster University.
Opening Reception Friday: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, May 2
Terry Smith: Accidental Geekery
Alumnus Terry Smith, Photojournalism (’02), is a photographer and videographer living and working in St. Louis. Through a winding combination of obsessions, collections and connections, he managed to accidentally land the job that he dreamed about when he was 12 years old: photographing action figures. Smith explains, “What you’re seeing in this body of work is a culmination of many things that mostly happened by accident. It takes decades of subconscious education via repeated consumption to develop this level of geekery — passively absorbing the work of comic book artists, pulp fantasy cover illustrators, and figure sculptors — and, additionally, a whole lot of luck to then parlay that into a career. I want to encapsulate a moment from a beloved bit of pop culture. I want to trigger nostalgia. I want fans of comics and movies and video games to see these images and feel that bit of wonder they felt when they were first exposed to the subjects as children."
Special Reception: Friday, Sept. 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Sideshow Spotlight — Alex Shubert: Zine Police
Alex Schubert is a cartoonist who first gained recognition for his VICE comic strip Blobby Boys, later a series of books published by Koyama Press (in English) and Misma (in French). Since then, Schubert has worked as a designer on many animated projects for clients including Disney, Cartoon Network and HBO Max, among others. He has also written, directed and art directed shorts for FOX, Viceland and Adult Swim.
Johnnie Izquierdo
Johnnie Izquierdo is a commercial photographer and photojournalist who resides in New Jersey and Tennessee. He specializes in action, photojournalism and editorial/commercial work. Izquierdo has worked with some of the world's most prestigious athletes and brands. He is known for building a special connection with his subjects to create iconic imagery to last a lifetime.
Opening Reception: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3
Beginnings 2025 High School Exhibition
This exhibit showcases the artistry of high school student photographers. The choice of subject, creativity and composition shares the immense talent of these students and shines a spotlight on the imagination of these teens.
Interested in having your high school participate? Email us at kgallery@webster.edu
Submission Deadline: Nov. 6, 2025
Exhibition Opening Reception: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025
Connect With Us on Socials
Kooyumjian Gallery
School of Communications, Sverdrup Building Second Floor, West Wing
Campus Map (Building 27)
8300 Big Bend Blvd.
Webster Groves, MO 63119
Street parking available or campus lots H and D
For immediate gallery entry, call Public Safety at 314-246-6911
Open daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Supported by the Missouri Arts Council
Financial assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. The Missouri Arts Council supports the arts that strengthen the cultural, educational and economic vitality of our state.
All images appearing on this webpage are copyright of the photographers.
