Cesar Rodriguez Beccera, “Venado Rojo,” 2013. Archival pigment print.

It is hard to tell if summer will ever arrive in Richmond, Virginia this year, but a good omen is the announcement of the opening of Unbound2!, the annual summer invitational exhibition at Candela Books + Gallery running July 5 through August 3, 2013.

The exhibition will open to the public Friday, July 5th, with a First Friday Art Walk reception from 5 to 9 pm.

Christa Blackwood, “Santa Elena,” 2013. Photogravure.

The preview images of the show display a pretty eclectic group of images, which is right in keeping with the ever expanding reach of Candela Gallery’s exhibits. Documentary, postmodernism, digital surrealism, alternative processing,and studio photography will all be on display – something for everyone no matter your photography style.

S. Gayle Stevens & Judy F. Sherrod, “Nocturnes 13,” 2012. Wet plate collodion mammoth plate pinhole tintype.

2013’s UnBound2! will include notable and emerging photographers, including Vivian Maier, Jeff Bridges, Jessie Mann & Len Prince, Courtney Johnson, Galina Kurlat, Kurt Simonson, Thomas Alleman, Cynthia Henebry, Rachel Phillips, Kristin Skees and Phil Nesmith.

Christine Osinski, “Girl Looking Sideways,” 1983-84, printed 2013. Gelatin silver print.

UnBound2! generates opportunities and exposure for participating artists far beyond traditional group or juried show opportunities by raising funds to purchase select works from the exhibition. Purchased works are added to the Candela Collection with the mission of supporting photographers through collection of their original photographic work and actively pursuing future opportunities to donate that work to notable art institutions.

Nadine Boughton, “Peril,” 2010. Digital collage, archival pigment print.

Candela will close the exhibition by bringing back some legendary hoopla! The UnBound2! gala event on Saturday, August 3rd, 7-11pm will include beer & wine, sangria, adult sno-cones, back alley chicken and other southern fare, live music from the Photosynthesizers, RAWFL’s lady arm wrestlers, laser cake via Big Secret, comedy from Coalition Theater, door prizes, raffle, and who knows what else. Event tickets and raffle tickets will be sold in advance and at the door; and will generate the funds toward purchase of artwork for the aforementioned Candela Collection.

See you there!  Check back here in July for a review of the exhibit!