Quick Facts
AquariusBiography
Danny Pope (born February 11, 1960, of English and Italian heritage) is a bespoke photographic printer and restorer. Danny has printed works for photographers such as Andrew Catlin, David Hiscock, Linda McCartney, Gian Paolo Barbieri, Calum Colvin, Tim Page, Corinne Day, Ian McKell, Brian Aris, Eve Arnold, The Douglas Brothers, Terry O’Neil, David Bailey, Barry Lategan and Terence Donovan. Panorama Magazine called Danny the "Master of Polopan Printing". Danny was the first color printer to win the Ilford Printer of the Year Award in 1993.
Early Life and Career
Danny completed Foundation Studies in Fine Art at Falmouth School of Art in 1980, where he practiced painting in a photo realist style. Following that, Danny worked on a Manpower Services Project, painting murals on canvas for a hospice in the East End. Working from transparencies taken locally in the East End, It was here that Danny taught himself how to make Cibrachrome prints from the slides as reference material to paint from.
In 1983, Danny launched Matchless Prints Ltd in Clerkenwell Road, London, following the support of Terry Donovan, who encouraged him to go into business, despite his lack of formal training, and disregarding the fact he was only 23. Early on he worked for clients such as Roger Charity, Mark LeBon and Eamon McCabe, producing creative prints that utilized different filtrations to the norm.
Danny is credited with being the first printer to use the technique of “painting with light” on black and white Polapan transparencies to produce complex color prints. Matchless Prints moved to Bloomsbury in 1990 and in 2001 Danny opened another Matchless Prints studio in Milan. In 2006 Danny opened Steidlville London, the first showcase bookstore for publisher, Steidl.
With the advent of digital technology, now Danny translates the skills of traditional wet printing within the digital domain.
Articles
- Seeing in the Dark The British Journal of Photography, 13 March 1987
- Dark Secrets Creative Review April 1989
- Prints Charming, Panorama, September 1991
- Printz of Darkness Practical Photography October 1992
- Swimming against the Tide Professional Photographer, December 1995
- Darkroom Confidential The British Journal of Photography February 2006
Exhibitions and Book Launches (Printing Credits)
| Type | Title | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibition | Linda McCartney's Sixties: Portrait of an Era | September 1992 | Book was launched with the exhibition. Color prints (cibachrome) printed. (Pete Trew did the black and white prints) |
| Exhibition | Live Aid | Exhibition of Cibachromes to launch the book from the event. Sponsored by Ilford. | |
| Exhibition | Eve Arnold | July 1993 | Retrospective. Cibachrome Prints. London and traveled to New York. She launched her book, "Inretrospect" |
| Exhibition | Gian Paolo Barbieri | September 2007 | Retrospective Palazzo Reale Milano and launch of book, Gian Paolo Barbieri published by Motta |
| Exhibition | Paul Smith | 22 April 2008 | All prints ink on Hahnemuhle paper. |
| Exhibition | David Hiscock "Transmutations" 15 October 2008 (at Paul Smith) | 15 October 2008 | Monoprint on Hahnemuhle paper |
| Book | David Bailey 'Havana' | 2006 | Printed all the color images for the book by hand on 'C' type paper. published by Steidl |
| Exhibition | Elk – 20 years of unseen images Soho | 29 September 2007 | |
| Exhibition | They're not laughing now | October 2010 | Andrew Catlin, Matrix. Fish Gallery, Hastings |
| Print donations | Michael Stipe, photographer Andrew Catlin | Berlin Art Museum. Monoprint on Hahnemuhle paper. | |
| Print donations | Vivienne Westwood | 1991 | Photographer Gian Paolo Barbieri. National Portrait Gallery. Monoprint on Hahnemuhle paper. |
Awards & Honours
llford Photographic Awards
- Award Ilfochrome Printer of the Year, 1992
- Highly Commended Advertising and Fashion Colour, 1992
- Highly Commended Advertising and fashion colour, 1992
- Award Advertising and Fashion Colour. 1993
- Award Industrial and Commercial, 1993
- Highly Commended Electronic Imaging, 1993
- Title and Trophy Ilfochrome Printer of the Year, 1993
The British Picture Editors Awards
- Colour print award 1993
- Colour print award 1994