In many ways, my relationship with Gita and her work is Candela's origin story. I founded Candela Books in 2010 to publish a monograph of Lenz’s work. At the time, we managed to secure the interest of Tom Gitterman, who owns a premier photo gallery in New York City, Gitterman Gallery. Tom appreciated her early adaptation of abstract expressionism and was especially drawn to the quality of her prints. Later that same year, Tom mounted a solo exhibition of her work. Although Gita wasn't well enough to attend the opening events, between the book and the exhibition, I felt she had a sense that her work was being seen and appreciated once again.

The team has been in a lot of discussion so far this year about the UnBound! show: how to encourage submission, how to jury, how to make the show virtual, how to fundraise, what we choose from the Collection, where the Collection should go.

Before we get to the reasons for writing, we truly hope that you and yours are well. Personally, I am deleting a lot of Coronavirus related emails every day and I don’t write this one lightly. We hope the best for you and in some small way we hope to keep on supporting artists and their works, especially in this difficult time.

With that said, we’re writing because we are extending the submission deadline for Unbound9! to May 1st, to create a little room for you should you happen to need it.

AND WE WANT TO TELL YOU THE SHOW WILL GO ON.

Good Thursday, All!

I want to take a moment to write a thank you and issue an update from the director’s chair. I used to write all of these Candela newsletters with an irreverent air, tucking in a photo koan or limerick but as with so many things, our operation has matured somewhat over the last 7+ years. And so have I, maybe? …pausing for the wave of existential nausea to pass… but we have been dancing pretty hard, trying to pull you onto the dance floor with us. And so, our general goal is to put out the most effective PR and messaging we can for the artists and institutions with whom we are partnering.

Candela Books + Gallery is currently seeking photographs made by photographers photographing their own families for our next book project.