Spray Nation: 1980s NYC Graffiti Photos

This remarkable collection of previously unpublished images of New York's graffiti scene in the 1980s comes from the extensive archives of one of the most renowned graffiti photographers of all time. If you were a graffiti writer in 1980s New York City, you wanted Martha Cooper to document your work—and she probably did. Cooper has spent decades immortalizing art that is often overlooked, and usually illegal. Her first book, 1984's Subway Art (a collaboration with Henry Chalfant), is affectionately referred to by graffiti artists as the "bible".

To create Spray Nation, Cooper and editor Roger Gastman pored through hundreds of thousands of 35mm Kodachrome slides, painstakingly selecting and digitizing them. The photos range from obscure tags to portraits, action shots, walls, and painted subway cars. They are accompanied by heartfelt essays celebrating Cooper's drive, spirit, and singular vision. The images capture a gritty New York era that is gone forever. And although the original pieces (as well as many of their creators) have been lost, these powerful photos feel as immediate as a subway train thundering down the tracks.

Martha Cooper is one of the most renowned graffiti photographers of all time, and this collection of previously unpublished images offers a remarkable glimpse into the graffiti scene of 1980s New York City. If you were a graffiti writer during that time, you likely wanted Cooper to document your work, and she often did. Cooper has dedicated decades to immortalizing art that is frequently overlooked and usually illegal. Her first book, Subway Art (1984), co-authored with Henry Chalfant, is revered by graffiti artists as the "bible" of the genre.

To assemble Spray Nation, Cooper and editor Roger Gastman painstakingly selected and digitized hundreds of thousands of 35mm Kodachrome slides from Cooper's extensive archives. The resulting photographs range from obscure tags to vivid portraits, dynamic action shots, towering walls, and painted subway cars. These powerful images are accompanied by heartfelt essays that celebrate Cooper's unwavering drive, indomitable spirit, and singular creative vision. Together, the photographs and essays capture a gritty, vanished era of New York City's history.

Although the original graffiti pieces, and many of their creators, have been lost to time, these photographs feel immediate and urgent, like a subway train hurtling through the underground. They serve as a vital record of a seminal moment in the evolution of an art form that continues to captivate and inspire.

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