As we put the finishing touches to the darkroom unit, we thought you might like to know a little about the people behind the project.
A few years ago, a group of us used to meet occasionally to print in a communal darkroom and thought it would be great to create a similar space which other photographers with a passion for analogue could have access to.
We inherited a load of great equipment and lost a few of the group along the way, and started looking at premises. Most of it was in dreadful condition and shockingly expensive. Finally, we settled on the workshop in Camden that we are in the process of making into darkroom.
A number of incredibly generous people have come along and offered us more amazing kit. Soon you’ll be able to come and see it for yourself.
In the meantime, this is who we are...
Japanese Brush - Verdi
Verdi Yahooda is a practicing photographer, living and working in London. The central themes in her work address issues of cultural history, identity and rituals and the re-presentation of objects through photography.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally and internationally, and featured in photographic and art publications such as Creative Camera, Art Monthly, Source magazine, n-paradoxa. Her most recent exhibitions have been at the Sainsbury Centre of Visual Art [SCVA] in Norwich 2016 and the Ruthin Craft Centre in North Wales in 2017.
Verdi has published five artists’ books to date, which are included in major public collections including the V&A Museum in London and the New York Public Library. Recently, she produced a new book, Newfoundland, in collaboration with the jeweller, Romilly Saumarez Smith. Her area of expertise is analogue photography and darkroom processes, both of which she has taught extensively in a number university programmes.
Philip Grey began his freelance photographic career in the late 70s post-punk music scene, working for New Musical Express, The Face, Time Out and New Music News. Over the years he produced publicity images for Adam and the Ants, The 2-Tone label, The Raincoats and Mikey Dread. In the 80's he shifted to performance and dance photography, working with Janet Smith and Dancers, Arc, Rosemary Lee and London Contemporary Dance Co.
Debbie Harry - Phil
In 1994 he was a finalist in the Kobal Portrait Photography Awards (now the Taylor Wessing), and he has had work exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, London; Watershed, Bristol; The Royal Photographic Society, Bath. More recently his Writer's Desks project was shown at Freeword, London and Ludlow Assembly Rooms.
He has taught both analogue and digital photography at London Guildhall University and is currently Senior Lecturer at Regent's University, London.
Dennis Yandoli is a keen amateur photographer, with a life-long passion for analogue photography. Growing up in New York in the 60s & 70s, he only shot film, and having access to a darkroom again recently has rekindled this early excitement. He is currently interested in exploring pinhole photography.
Untitled - Dennis