David Corio unveils iconic music photography collection in support of mental health
Print Matters and Rethink Mental Illness partner to release limited edition signed prints
Pioneering photographer David Corio is sharing a career-spanning archive of iconic music images, with 20% of every sale supporting mental health charity Rethink Mental Illness.
Corio, who has documented the world’s most groundbreaking musicians for over six decades, presents his exclusive collection through Print Matters, featuring legendary figures from Bob Marley and Nina Simone to Public Enemy and Marvin Gaye.
Photos: David Corio / Print Matters
His photograph of Bob Marley’s final London performance — shot under extraordinary circumstances in 1980 — captures the raw energy and mysticism that defined the reggae icon’s stage presence.
Corio recalls:
“Bob Marley was really difficult to shoot. He was almost in a trance, dancing like a shaman. His locks were thrashing around. It didn’t make it easier that I was standing chest-deep in a lake at the time. I got down to my last shot, the 37th frame on my last roll of film and waited – and just managed to capture it all at the right moment. There have been a few times over the years when, just as you click the shutter, you feel that you’ve got it. This was one of them. I was 20, just starting, and I’d only done a dozen jobs. I wouldn’t have known at the time he was ill.”
The collection also includes rare images of Notting Hill Carnival, hip-hop pioneers in New York, and unforgettable portraits from backstage dressing rooms to historic concerts. Corio’s work has been exhibited internationally, with pieces held in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC.
Prints and fine art posters, including a signed Public Enemy poster from their 1987 Hyde Park performance, will be available from 22 September at printmatters.uk, with prices starting at £85.
David Corio says:
“I’m really pleased to be collaborating with Print Matters to raise awareness of Rethink Mental Illness. Knowing every sale supports this important cause means a lot.”
Rethink provides vital services, including housing, employment support and legal advice. It also campaigns to change laws and challenge stigma. Through this partnership, Corio’s iconic images not only celebrate cultural history but also help fund essential support networks, underscoring how art can contribute to social change.
David Corio’s signed, limited edition photographic prints and fine art posters are available now from Print Matters. (printmatters.uk) from 22 September 2025. Signed, limited edition photographic prints from £575. Public Enemy fine art poster £85.
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
