Martha Cooper

The most recent post by Martha Cooper was 4 days, 23 hours ago…

Martha Cooper
Martha Cooper

New York, New York

The night I spent in the New Lots Yards in 1980 watching Dondi paint a top to bottom whole car was the
highlight of my graffiti photographing experience. Dondi called that piece “Children of the Grave Part 3”
Later I realized that “Children of the Grave Part 2” was one of the first whole cars I’d photographed but
I always wondered what the first Children of the Grave had looked like.

Last week, 30 years later, I found out at Francisco Reyes II’s photo exhibit at BronxArtSpace. Francisco
hadn’t taken many photos of graffiti but, by luck, he’d shot Dondi’s first Children of the Grave. Here are all
three pieces seen together for the first time:


Posted by Martha Cooper on February 12, 2010 at 01:44 AM

  • 14 Comments
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14 Comments

The latest comment was posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago…

Darren wrote… Comment #1 posted on February 12, 2010 at 10:27 AM
YOU NEED TO RELEASE THESE AS A £ PART PRINT.
Graphic Declaration wrote… Comment #2 posted on February 12, 2010 at 03:28 PM
Thanks for that Martha!
Bates wrote… Comment #3 posted on February 12, 2010 at 04:39 PM
instant classic!
Mare 139 wrote… Comment #4 posted on February 12, 2010 at 06:48 PM
Nice post! These were important cars for Dondi, I remember them well and saw them running with windows. I met him in 78 with Kel 139 after he painted the T2B, we were all impressed by him and CIA and became partners with them. You can see in these photos his command for scale and straight lines, in those days everyone was looking at writers like LEE who was the best T2b artist of the time.
Mr. Andre wrote… Comment #5 posted on February 13, 2010 at 03:24 AM
YES! Finally!
covertshadowops wrote… Comment #6 posted on February 13, 2010 at 12:30 PM
truly amazing... DONDI is a king amongst KINGZ. get that BREAK train out from MR. McGURR. how can we get hold of you MARTHA? do you have a contact email? I would like to buy some prints please
claire wrote… Comment #7 posted on February 13, 2010 at 05:28 PM
thank you so much great to see these fantastic pieces
choci.roc.top.awe.wrh wrote… Comment #8 posted on February 17, 2010 at 03:25 PM
super fresh...only in new york....i still wonder what is the meaning of children of the grave?i have this written in my first black book,with the words red angel dagnet,kings incorporated,which also has me stumped?anyone know the story?
choci.roc.top.awe.wrh wrote… Comment #9 posted on March 03, 2010 at 05:19 PM
Revolution in their minds - the children start to march Against the world in which they have to live And all the hate that's in their hearts They're tired of being pushed around And told just what to do They'll fight the world until they've won And love comes flowing through Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today Will the sun rise up tomorrow bringing peace in any way? Must the world live in the shadow of atomic fear? Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear? So you children of the world, listen to what I say If you want a better place to live in spread the words today Show the world that love is still alive you must be brave Or you children of today are Children of the Grave, Yeah
SEAR ONNER wrote… Comment #10 posted on May 12, 2010 at 07:21 PM
i think that it is great that u bring graff to the public eye. the very first graff book that i got was dondis book. i got it 12 years ago and still got it. i just want to give u props for all of your hard work and its cool that you are still bringing graff to the public eye
MICHAEL TRACY wrote… Comment #11 posted on May 13, 2010 at 04:15 PM
I LOST REAL FRIENDS AND ARTIST DOCUMENTING THIS STUFF... TO FIX THIS WORLD YOU LEFT US WITH ...
Nick wrote… Comment #12 posted on June 06, 2010 at 05:51 AM
Does anyone know what comic strip the characters from Children of the grave part 3 come from? Is it from the Dondi cartoon or Vaughn Bode (Doubtful)?
Keo wrote… Comment #13 posted on June 06, 2010 at 11:47 AM
Vaughn Bode
JIMMYHAHA wrote… Comment #14 posted on June 06, 2010 at 12:01 PM
FANTASY....YEA THATS THE ANSWER! .NEVER...!! JUST MILKING THE DEAD !! 4 PROFIT ...SLAVERY 2010 !!

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Martha Cooper is a photojournalist specializing in art and anthropology. She is among the handful of photographers who methodically documented subway graffiti during the 1970s and 1980s. Her body of work is the most extensive and significant of its kind.

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