MARTHA COOPER
United States of America
Martha Cooper is a documentary photographer who has specialized in photographing urban art and architecture for over forty years. In 1977, Martha moved from Rhode Island to New York and worked there for three years as a staff photographer for the NY Post. During this time, she began documenting graffiti and B-Boying, themes that led to her extensive coverage of the beginnings of Hip Hop as it emerged from the Bronx. These photographs, published all over the world, helped make Hip Hop the predominant international movement it is today.
Her book Subway Art (with Henry Chalfant) has been published since 1984 and is affectionately called the “bible” by graffiti artists.
Martha's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries all over the world and published in various magazines, from National Geographic to Vibe.
The documentary Martha Cooper: A Picture Story, by director Selina Miles, had its premiere at the 2019 TriBeCa International Film Festival in New York City and has already been screened at the 2020 edition of WOOL.