New Gallery exhibit focuses on WU grad
By: Kelly Kendall
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Lifestyle
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Chad Schneider, a Webster University graduate from 1998, attended the opening of his series "New York is a Friendly Town" at the May Gallery on the second floor the of the Sverdrup Building of Business and Technology.
The pictures focus on the theme of New York City, showing motion through action shots but also with motion shakes. Most of the prints also contain light flairs, showing the imperfection of New York City light.
Angie Riley, a sophomore art education major, said the exhibit was what she expected from New York City photography.
"(Schneider) really captured the fast-pace feel of the city," Riley said. "Pictures aren't taken from a straight-on angle, they're more from multiple directions."
The idea came when Schneider, a major in photography, was editing his thesis film and hit a roadblock.
"I needed to do something to get me out of that funk," Schneider said. "The point is to present a different point of view of New York streets through creating the sense of a place that is commonly seen."
Throughout the span of two years, Schneider started carrying a camera with him on his way to work during lunch breaks, using the film to capture the art of street photography.
"Street photography is a different way to approach photography," Schneider said. "It's a familiar subject, but a different way of looking at it."
After getting the developed film back, Schneider said he chose around 225 prints to scan into his computer. He started putting the pictures online, mainly photo networking site Flickr, and was surprised when Susan Stang, professor of photography at WU, found the pictures and suggested Schneider send them to Bill Barrett, electronic photographic media department professor and May Gallery director.
"Other than the Dan Eldon exhibit, this is the first display done fully in color in a while," Barrett said. "Chad has a book in the library. All of these prints are in that book, that was how I got to know his work."
Two of the most iconic shots, in Schneider's opinion, are the ones of a messy Manhattan skyline and of two people hugging.
"Everyone thinks the skyline is always beautiful, but in my experience it is almost always muggy, Schneider said. "The hugging kids reminds me of the iconic shot of the sailor and nurse kissing at the end of World War II. It's a bit imperfect, because his hand isn't all the way around her. It's awkward, like love could be."
Schneider's exhibition will be showing through Oct. 24, and will be replaced by Barbara Jaffe's "Dark Sun," on Oct. 31.
Schneider is about to leave New York City to travel to Minneapolis, Minn., where he will pursue his career in photography and film, but in a less expensive setting.
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