Martha Cooper, Graffitti and Photography

Analu Maria Lopez
The Photographs of Martha Cooper
Martha Cooper is a renowned photographer within the Hip-hop world; her photographs have
contributed greatly to the Hip-Hop/Graffiti Culture and photographic community for the past
25 years. (figure 1.0) Although Graffiti would have existed with or without her photographs, it
was via these images and those of Henry Chalfant’s that introduced this powerful Cultural
Movement to the mainstream. It is also through these contributions that pushed her to the
forefront of being one of a few influential documenters of this vastly growing Cultural
Phenomenon: Graffiti. Now after twenty -five years since its publication, “Subway Art” (Figure
1.1) is still considered the bible for most aspiring graffiti writers, individuals interested in the
movement and older generations alike. It must be stated, however, her photographic career is
not limited only to contributing to this movement (she photographed extensively in other
countries and created many other non-graffiti related books).1
Martha a.k.a. “Marty” Cooper was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Her father Ben
Cooper, owned a camera shop and at the age of 3 Ms. Cooper was already on the road to
being a photographer2 (figure 1.2) “My father would take me on ‘camera runs’ with the
Baltimore Camera Club. We’d take pictures down by the Harbor and of things like white
marble steps-pictorial photographs. When I look back…I realize how much my father’s brand
of urban photography influenced me.”3
One of the connections between her work and I is the subject matter chosen, to photograph
the Artists within the Graffiti Movement. However, one main difference between her and
myself is, to use one of her quotes “I just happen to be at the right place at the right time as
this cultural phenomenon began to unfold.”4 She was at the center of this movement as it
started to detonate within the New York area while I am photographing a movement that has
existed for sometime within the city of Chicago. Also, I am interested in the evolution of these
particular individuals that have been doing graffiti or are influenced by it. Some may or may
not utilize it within their ‘fine art’ work. There are those who still use their Graffiti overtly while
others choose to separate the two. If they do use Graffiti within their gallery work it ceases
being graffiti. In the words of Ish Muhammad (a well-known artist and graffiti art activist that I
photographed for my recent project): “Graffiti is illegal. It’s a language for fellow writers. Once
it’s on a canvas, display, art gallery etc. it’s post-graffiti. It’s an art form branched from graffiti
writing culture.” 5
1
Juxtapose interview 2009
Hip Hop Files, Photographs 1979 – 1984, Martha Cooper, from “Born to Shoot: A brief Bio of
Martha Cooper,” Here to Fame publishing 2004
3
ibid
4
Martha Cooper quote from www.kodakgirl.com
5
from interview questions of Ish Muhammad, 2009
2
As I mentioned before, Ms. Cooper was living in New York City and had been taking
photographs of “Graffiti” in the area for many years. One story states that on a day while she
was out taking photographs (figure 1.3) she came into contact with a young boy that invited
her to come and photograph a group of “BBoys/Girls” (a person devoted to the Hip Hop
Culture that dances). This brief encounter offered her the opportunity to meet a very
influential artist in the Graffiti world known as Dondi White. He was later to be instrumental in
her documenting a variety of individuals as he introduced her to many of them. (Figure 1.4)
From this day forward she saw the importance of documenting this movement and
everything else is history.6
Some of Ms. Cooper’s most iconic images from this era would have to be the series of Dondi
White as he paints “The Children of the Grave part 3” (Named after a Black Sabbath Song)
piece on a New York City train. (figure 1.5) The Children of the Grave cars 2 and 3 are
considered among the most famous and iconic pieces ever painted by any writer during New
York’s twenty-year subway art history.7 Since ‘pieces’ on a train are not meant to last forever
Graffiti Artists depended on photography significantly to document what they accomplished.
Martha Cooper’s photographs were very important within this process because the writers
had someone with a genuine interest in their art form to follow them and help document it.
These images created a massive archive for future generations. Martha would always share
her images with them later after processing her film.
My interest in this Movement was first sparked by a friend of mine who introduced me to The
Artistic Bombing Crew website back in 2003 as we stayed up late instant messaging one
another about art. I would have to say; prior to this event my knowledge was very limited to
the world of graffiti. Even today I do not consider myself an expert but simply a photographer
with a deep appreciation for the art and the artists involved.
I feel that my photographs within this project will contribute to this Cultural Movement that
Ms. Cooper has pioneered; however, my focus is Chicago because it has been greatly underrecognized in relation to this art form. To use a fellow artist’s words: “Chicago is a unique
creature that continues to go unrecognized for the talented artists (graf/non-graf) that paint
the city, in relation to graffiti most people who are not from Chicago do not understand the
power of the ‘buff’ and how much money the city puts into eradicating graffiti. This creates an
entirely new kind of writer/artist.” 8
Although there is a resemblance in the subject matter Ms. Cooper and I have chosen to
photograph, I see a difference in our approach. Her photographs are taken in a “traditional”
anthropological/documentary-style (Ms. Cooper studied Anthropology as an Undergraduate).
Mostly photographed outdoors with available light, she would photograph these
6
Style Wars DVD (by Tony Silver) 1982
Dondi: style master general : the life of graffiti artist Dondi White, By Andrew Witten, Dondi
White, Michael White, Published by HarperCollins, 2001
8
Interview from Ruben Aguirre Jr., 2008
7
artists/writers while they were painting or tagging illegally and legally. And while I do have
some images of them painting outside, for the most part, all the artwork initiated outside are
known as permission walls (the artists have approached an owner of a building prior to
painting to get permission). Another difference is I want most of the concentration to be on
the Environmental portraits I have taken of each artist. These portraits also have interviews
accompanying them because it is important for me (and the artists) to have their voices
heard.
Ms. Cooper’s photographs continue to leave an important impact upon the consciousness of
many aspiring artists to this day. Most do not know her as being at the forefront and I believe
she is still under-recognized outside of this genre for her contributions in photography and
this Cultural Movement. I hope that my attempts in documenting this Cultural Movement in
Chicago will leave a mark, however little it will be, for the future generations such like her
work has done.