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The powerHouse Arena is pleased to host the joint book launch party for

the 25th Anniversary Edition of
Subway Art

&
Foundation


with Martha Cooper, Henry Chalfant & Joseph Schloss


Thursday, June 11, 7–9PM
The powerHouse Arena
37 Main Street, Brooklyn
For more information: (718) 666-3049

RSVP: rsvp@powerHouseArena.com

Join us at The powerHouse Arena for a talk and Q&A with Martha Cooper, Henry Chalfant, and Joseph Schloss about the burgeoning New York City graffiti movement.

"Subway Art is one of the main reasons graffiti became a global phenomenon. For everyone that didn't grow up in New York City and even for those that did, Subway Art became their main source of inspiration." –Shepard Fairey

"The Wild Style graffiti that was invented in New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s is arguably the most influential art movement since Pop Art. Much of its influence is due to the extraordinary documentation of the artists and their work in the book Subway Art, by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant, now re-released in a beautifully produced 25th anniversary edition." –Jeffrey Deitch

During the 1970s and 80s, photographers Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant captured the environment and the imagination of a generation by documenting the growing New York City graffiti movement. Now, 25 years and more than a half a million copies later, their bestselling book Subway Art is available in a large-scale, deluxe format—heightening the visual impact of their classic images.

With 70 additional photographs, and a fresh introduction and afterword, this collector's edition illustrates the passion, creativity and resourcefulness of unlikely kids inventing an art form destined to spread worldwide and spawn the present-day street art movement.

Subway Art is the definitive book on graffiti from its inception as a "social plague" to its role as a sounding board for young urban voices and up-and-coming artists. This classic book tells the story of the rise of graffiti from the New York City streets to galleries worldwide–a must for anyone that appreciates urban life, spectacular photography, and 1980s cool.

"While many authority figures refer to graffiti as an entry-level crime, inevitably leading writers to engage in ever-increasing levels of serious illegal activity," say Cooper and Chalfant, "our experience belies this bleak view. We have found that the skills, concentration, dedication, strive for excellence, and, indeed, work ethic acquired through an apprenticeship in the train yards have in most cases led to successful careers, ranging from the fine arts to graphic clothing, cyber design to music, and yes, even working for the MTA, military, and police force."

The generation of writers who appear in Subway Art received an exposure that legitimized them and brought them to the attention of the world's media and international art collectors. They have become incredibly famous, not only among the youth who emulate them, but also among luminaries of the art world.

Chalfant and Cooper are considered two of the foremost authorities on New York subway art and this groundbreaking book is poised to attract a new generation of graffiti enthusiasts.

About the Contributors
Martha Cooper is a Manhattan-based photojournalist, formerly on staff with the New York Post, where she began shooting images of street culture. Her images of graffiti and Hip Hop culture are world-renowned and widely published. Her photographs have appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian and Natural History magazines, as well as several dozen books and journals. She is the Director of Photography at City Lore, the New York Center for Urban Folk Culture. Cooper lives in Manhattan but is working on a photo project in Sowebo, a Southwest Baltimore neighborhood.
Click here to view more books by Martha Cooper »

Henry Chalfant is a well-known urban culture photographer and videographer, most notable for his graffiti and breakdance photography and film. He is highly regarded for his wide knowledge in Hip Hop and underground culture. His photos are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, among others. Chalfant co-produced and did the background research and photo-documentation for the film Style Wars, first shown on PBS television in 1984.

Joseph Schloss is author of the recently published book Foundation: B-boys, B-girls, and Hip Hop Culture in New York. He is a visiting scholar and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music at New York University.

Luis "DJ Disco Wiz" Cedeño, the first Latino Hip Hop DJ, is credited for being the first DJ to make a "mixed plate" in 1977 along with Grandmaster Caz. In the years since, Wiz has been an influential force in educating the world about the early years of Hip Hop. Wiz was a major contributor in the opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle in 2000, and was instrumental in the making of Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn's Yes Yes Y'all (Da Capo Press, 2002). He was also featured in the Emmy-nominated VH1 Rock Doc NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell, and is the creator and founder of the Hip-Hop Meets Spoken Wordz performance series. His first book, It's Just Begun: The Epic Journey of DJ Disco Wiz, Hip Hop's First Latino DJ, that he co-authored with Ivan Sanchez is being released this June by powerHouse Books.

For more information, please contact Jenna Lundin
jenna@powerHouseBooks.com

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1(718)666-3049

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