the work of martha cooper

Today Martha Cooper celebrates her 70th birthday. We Are Thundersnow reflects on her prolific career which spans more than four decades.

Best known for photographing New York's hip-hop subculture during the 70s and 80s, Cooper is credited with being one of the first people outside the community to take an interest in the crews of the Lower-East Side. Her book Subway Art (1984) was for many years the only book of street art available.

 

Cooper continues to document some of the world's most important urban art and culture, and is as Steve Powers says "a phenomenon." 

This video celebrates her career to-date. (She is one of the reasons I'm still hunting for the perfect Adidas Originals tracksuit).

Happy Birthday, Martha! (I understand there are a number of murals going up across New York today in her honour. Will post in due course.)

(photos copyright Martha Cooper and Hypebeast)