Kooyumjian Gallery

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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:
Noppadol Paothong: Images of Conservation

Oct. 4 – Nov. 24

A monarch butterfly caterpillar eats a milkweed flower nestled among other vibrant wildflowers.

A red-breasted bluebird sits on frozen branch covered in small icicles.

Two small butterfly eggs on a leaf appear to have pits and hairs, similar to strawberry.

Side view of a greater sage grouse in soft early morning yellow light, with a cloud of breath visible.

Noppadol Paothong is a nature and conservation photographer and an associate fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP). The iLCP is an elite group of the world’s top wildlife, nature and culture photographers around the globe. He is also a staff wildlife photographer with the Missouri Department of Conservation and contributes his images and stories to its high-quality publication, Missouri Conservationist, Xplor and many others. For over 20 years, he has been documenting rare and endangered species, primarily grassland grouse and their fragile habitat, and has published two large-format national award-winning books, "Save the Last Dance (2012)" and "Sage Grouse, Icon of the West (2017)."

Join Us!

Opening Reception and Artist Talk

5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, 2024

Two male brown-belted bumblebees curled together in bright yellow flower.

Sideshow Spotlight: Dr. Nicole Miller-Struttmann’s ShutterBee Project

We will be exhibiting a collection of Missouri Bee images from evolutionary ecologist, Dr. Nicole Miller-Struttmann’s ShutterBee Project, a citizen-based science and photography project in St. Louis, that monitored the bees in the St. Louis metropolitan area of Missouri and Illinois.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Gallery walls with photos and large group of people looking and talking

Beginnings 2024: Juried High School Photography

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 will be juried by professors Michael Long and Natalia Kaniasty from hundreds of entries of original photographic works.

Opening Reception and Gallery Talk with the Jurors: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6

Makita Wilbur, stands against a red-toned background holding a camera up near her face

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

Simiya Sudduth sits in their studio, surrounded by colorful art.

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

Man dressed as Star Wars' Kenobi in front of a background of a night sky showing three planets

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.

Animation art of a man standing at a drawing board in a yellow room with orange floor boards

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

people examine colorful photograhs in a neutrally colored gallery

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