PDNB (Photographs Do Not Bend) Gallery has long been a trailblazer in whatever neighborhood it calls home.

Founded in 1995, the photo-based gallery initially launched in Uptown before relocating to a series of spaces in the Design District — most recently at River Bend.

But as rents soared and commutes grew more frenetic, co-owners Missy and Burt Finger began looking for a space closer to their home in Denton.

“I lived 30 miles away, and now I live two miles away, which is great for a number of reasons,” says Missy Finger, laughing. “But the rent was too high when we renewed our lease, and it’s happening everywhere [in the area]. The Design District has priced itself out, and other galleries are going to deal with that same issue.”

PDNB has taken over a 2,500-square-foot space in the basement of the Wells Fargo Bank Building near Denton’s downtown square. It’s a homecoming of sorts, as Burt Finger had a photography studio in the area before he and Missy married.

After a soft opening on June 6, the couple are planning a grand opening and 30th-anniversary exhibition in September. They plan to present six shows a year to highlight the work of their star-studded roster that includes photographers Lucienne Bloch, Keith Carter, Elliott Erwitt, Earlie Hudnall Jr., Bill Owens and Neal Slavin.

The new location also places them near the University of North Texas’ College of Visual Arts and Design gallery and the Greater Denton Arts Council, both of which offer fertile ground for cultivating the next generation of collectors.

“Photography is a lot more affordable than a lot of things that are valued,” Finger says. “You can buy a painting for 30 grand, but you can buy a great photograph for $1,000 or $5,000 that represents something that’s in a museum collection. It’s always the more affordable media to collect, and I think that’s what younger people are starting to listen to — they want art in their lives, so they’re looking at works on paper and photography.”

Details

PDNB Gallery is open by appointment only at 101 S. Locust St., Suite B07, in Denton. pdnbgallery.com.

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