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1979–1984 January 13–March 5, 2005 |
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RP3 with WARHOL tag, Fun Gallery, Manhattan,1984
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| “Like a New York City subway ride back to the early 1980s. This is Hip Hop culture at its all time best. A monumental photographic achievement for the world. It doesn’t get any better than this!” —Fab 5 Freddy “Marty’s curiosity and insight about cultures worldwide have made us all want photographs that teach as well as entertain. Without her unique photographic collection, this culture might have been ignored, overlooked, or misunderstood. Marty bravely and tirelessly dedicated herself to recording the Hip Hop world by becoming part of it. Here you have an insider’s view.” —Susan Welchman, National Geographic Hip hop culture emerged from an environment of extreme deprivation and decay in the South Bronx. The concept of pure invention—of creating something from nothing—was in full effect at the end of the 1970s as graffiti (“borrowed” spray paint), breaking (cardboard as dance floor), and outdoor jams (electricity source: the base of streetlights) captured the attention of urban youth, coalescing into new forms of artistic expression. With the reputation of being the first and foremost photographer of early hip hop culture, Martha Cooper’s rare and striking photos are a testament to her willingness to get the shot by any means necessary. Fortunately, Cooper was at the right place at the right time to document the people who created the music, dance, and art that became known worldwide—including the DURO, SKEME, DEZ, LADY PINK, MARE 139, Fab 5 Freddy, Frosty Freeze RSC, SEEN, and DONDI, to name but a few. Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979–1984 is the first major one-person exhibition of Cooper’s work in New York City. The exhibition features ten large vinyl prints (two of which are seven feet high), and a selection of six limited edition prints produced exclusively for The powerHouse Gallery. Martha Cooper has specialized in shooting urban vernacular art and architecture for over twenty-five years. From 1977 to 1980 she worked as a staff photographer for the New York Post, leaving in 1980 in order to spend more time following the emerging Hip Hop scene. In 1984, in collaboration with Henry Chalfant, she published Subway Art (Thames and Hudson/Henry Holt), the classic book showcasing the best painted trains of the era and dubbed "The Bible" by graffiti writers. In 1994, she published R.I.P.: Memorial Wall Art (Thames and Hudson/Henry Holt), with folklorist Joseph Sciorra. Martha is the Director of Photography at City Lore, the New York Center for Urban Folk Culture. “Martha is so awesome to have documented our movement and our culture. With all the previous photos she took, capturing time and history with every click, I feel her passion for us. 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. In two words: THANK YOU!” —FUTURA 2000 |
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