11/17/2022
On my birthday, I visited an art gallery in St. Louis called Barrett Barrera Projects. Sandra Payne was the featured artist and I read that her exhibit was closing on October 22, 2022. I would have missed this exhibit but I happened to notice a link from Hyperallergic. Hyperallergic is an online arts magazine, based in Brooklyn, New York. Here is a link to the article on Sandra Payne on Hyperallergic. She studied art in New York in the 70s, and later worked as a librarian. To think that Covid kept her from experiencing her first exhibit is such a tragedy.
Sandra Payne was talented in collecting and arranging various items such as vintage perfume bottles. She created collages by cutting out photos of various jewelry and these photos were used for wallpaper at the exhibit. She also made silhouette portraits.
Here are a few of the photos I took with permission from the gallery.
Her art did lead to meaningful conversations. I received the newsletter from Barrett Barrera in my email today.
From the newletter: “The process of deinstalling the most recent exhibition of artwork by late St. Louis artist Sandra Payne at projects+gallery–A World of Shine–was particularly poignant after all of the wonderful conversations and connections it sparked, shining a light on a very deserving artist who is just now getting her due decades later. Our enthusiasm for Payne’s artistic legacy will continue and we sincerely thank everyone who has shown support for her work and for the exhibition.”
I will be back to visit this lovely local art gallery again. Barrett Barrera Projects is located at 4733 McPherson Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. Here is a link to the gallery website and a link to Sandra Payne A World of Shine.
Updated 2/2/2024 (more photos were taken from this exhibit, if you are interested, leave a comment or contact me on Social Media)
Unfortunately, this morning I received an e-mail from the gallery because I’m on their mailing list that they’re closing the gallery. It was a lovely gallery and the people there were warm and welcoming.
I am posting links to the archived pages for The Gallery Website and The World of Shine Exhibition.
Statement from Susan Barrett Gallery Owner
This year marks the 10th anniversary of projects+gallery. Since opening in 2014, we have presented exhibitions and experimental programs that challenged expectations and invited our community to engage with artwork by emerging and established artists from across the globe. Many of the artists we exhibited early in their careers have gone on to experience major art world acclaim; we are extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many talented creators and offer significant artworks to our collectors.
As we enter our 10th year, we are presented with an opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments and also think carefully about what is next. What seems like a century’s worth of change has occurred in the last ten years as world events laid bare the hidden weaknesses of numerous industries, including the obsolescence of foundational elements of the art world and the ability for small and mid-size galleries to exist within the larger arts ecosystem.
Our program was able to engage audiences through openings and events but proved unsustainable as a commercial gallery operating in St. Louis. For that reason, projects+gallery is closing its doors. Our remaining artwork inventory will be available online at Artsy and 1stdibs and through direct inquiry.
My gratitude is with my team, both past and present, and the countless contributions they have made to growing and operating projects+gallery. I am incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished together. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to the artists and curators who have been extraordinary sources of inspiration and collaboration through the last 10 years. Without their partnership and trust, our program could not have existed. I still believe art can change the world, but perhaps not in a gallery format in St. Louis.
Barrett Barrera Projects will continue operating and serving the needs of our museum clients, private collections management clients, and working on a project and consultancy basis. We are operating with the mindset of “more projects, less gallery.”
Over the next few weeks, we will be looking back at the exhibitions and select special projects presented at projects+gallery on our social channels. Thank you for an amazing 10 years at 4733 McPherson and we look forward to continuing our work at Barrett Barrera Projects.
Macy Makes Magic 