Martha Cooper, who has photographed the beginnings of the New York graffiti scene, will return to London to host a free seven-day exhibit showing off hundreds of photos’s of Graffiti art. Cooper will also be promoting her new book, “Hip Hop Files.” The book includes the work of graffiti artists and B-Boys, including contributions from members of the legendary Rocksteady Crew and others. Cooper was known for following various performers and artists around the city and captured countless amounts of unique moments. She established herself by collaborating with Henry Chalfont and released “Subway Diaries” in 1984. Ten years later, Cooper published “RIP: Memorial Wall Art.” “Hip Hop Files” includes images dated between 1979 –1984. The exhibition features over 240 color and black and white photographs collected, in addition to other photographers own images. The introduction to the book is written by the legendary by ZEPHYR and includes essays by Charlie Ahearn, Patti Astor, Pop Master Fabel and other participants of the early New York Hip-Hop scene. Insightful quotes and statements by over 70 Hip Hop icons accompany the shots in the book including Lee, Fab 5 Freddy, Dez aka DJ Kay Slay, Grandmaster Caz, Bobbito, Dondi, Duro, Blade, See, Lady Pink, Futura 2000 and others. “Martha is so awesome to have documented our movement and our culture,” Futura 2000 said of Cooper’s work. “Her contribution to the expansion and influence of the urban art form becoming a global phenomenon cannot be understated. Martha Cooper was an (embedded) photographer with the troops on the frontlines.” The exhibition will be held at Kingly Court, Oxford Circus, London between noon and 5pm, all this week. “Hip Hop Files” goes on sale in September in three different languages: English, German and French. “Like a New York City subway ride back to the early 1980’s,” Fab 5 Freddy said. “This is Hip Hop culture at its all time best. A monumental photographic achievement for the world.”
Martha Cooper, who
has photographed the beginnings of the New York graffiti scene, will return to
London to host a free seven-day exhibit showing off hundreds of photos’s
of Graffiti art.
Cooper will also
be promoting her new book, “Hip Hop Files.” The book includes the
work of graffiti artists and B-Boys, including contributions from members of
the legendary Rocksteady Crew and others.
Cooper was known
for following various performers and artists around the city and captured countless
amounts of unique moments.
She established
herself by collaborating with Henry Chalfont and released “Subway Diaries”
in 1984. Ten years later, Cooper published “RIP: Memorial Wall Art.”
“Hip Hop
Files” includes images dated between 1979 –1984. The exhibition
features over 240 color and black and white photographs collected, in addition
to other photographers own images.
The introduction
to the book is written by the legendary by ZEPHYR and includes essays by Charlie
Ahearn, Patti Astor, Pop Master Fabel and other participants of the early New
York Hip-Hop scene.
Insightful quotes
and statements by over 70 Hip Hop icons accompany the shots in the book including
Lee, Fab 5 Freddy, Dez aka DJ Kay Slay, Grandmaster Caz, Bobbito, Dondi, Duro,
Blade, See, Lady Pink, Futura 2000 and others.
“Martha is
so awesome to have documented our movement and our culture,” Futura 2000
said of Cooper’s work. “Her contribution to the expansion and influence
of the urban art form becoming a global phenomenon cannot be understated. Martha
Cooper was an (embedded) photographer with the troops on the frontlines.”
The exhibition
will be held at Kingly Court, Oxford Circus, London between noon and 5pm, all
this week. “Hip Hop Files” goes on sale in September in three different
languages: English, German and French.
“Like a New
York City subway ride back to the early 1980’s,” Fab 5 Freddy said.
“This is Hip Hop culture at its all time best. A monumental photographic
achievement for the world.”
