A letter received from Mark Lubell, Executive Director International Center of Photography
Dear ICP Community,
It is with gratitude and humility that I write to let you know that after seven and a half exciting and productive years at ICP, I will be stepping down as Executive Director, effective August 31, 2021.
When I joined ICP in 2013, I took to heart Cornell Capa’s founding mission to create a center for dialogue, learning, exhibiting, and preserving. These principles guided me as we embarked on a journey to create a permanent home for ICP—all while continuing the work of examining the role of images in a rapidly evolving world. Through the talent and grit of our team, ICP opened at 79 Essex Street on January 25, 2020. That ICP found its home in a neighborhood rich with stories and history is a symbolic reminder of the organization’s heritage. With the democratization of image making, our relationship to images has changed; but Capa’s belief that photography is a universal language and that images have the power to foster change has remained my core conviction. It has been my great honor to serve an organization focused on such an important and meaningful charge and I look forward to watching the institution flourish in this new home.
I have always been a believer in the way change leads to new ideas and forges new paths. As you know all too well, six weeks after we reached this momentous goal, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and dealt us a new crisis. But we pivoted during the pandemic, as we had to, moving our programming online, and eventually re-opening with two exhibitions to critical acclaim last fall. Seeing our latest exhibition, But Still, It Turns: Recent Photography from the World, in the new space has brought me particular joy, highlighting the power and diversity of visual authorship and artistry. Now, as we look with cautious optimism to the fall and to welcoming back students for in-person classes, I know that the experience will feel both invigorating and transformational. ICP’s momentum is strong and our foundation is secure, signaling that this is the right moment for change.
ICP’s Board of Directors has retained ZRG Partners to assist in the search for the new Executive Director and I will support this effort in every way that I can. I know that transitions are never easy, but I can assure you that the Board will be diligent in finding an imaginative and deserving leader to shepherd the organization forward.
It has been a great privilege to be a part of such an important organization during this pivotal period. I am grateful for the incredible work of our staff, our faculty and our students, and for the commitment from the Board of Trustees.
One chapter is closing, but—as I like to remind our staff—you never really leave ICP.
Thank you and forward we go!
Mark Lubell
Executive Director
International Center of Photography
