Much of NY's gritty flavor has been immortalized by the loving lens of Martha Cooper. You might know her famous work with Henry Chalfant in Subway Art(which was the impetus for Style Wars), her book the Hip Hop Files and Street Play. For the first time Powerhouse brings you a beautiful collection of her photos from NY in 1977. After first moving to the city she landed a job at the New York Post, where she shot every subject possible. The city was bankrupt, crime was at an all time high, buildings were crumbling, and the government could care less. Only thing is, you would never know it from Cooper's eye. In the midst of the madness, she's able to capture the jewels of the NY optimist attitude that's proven unbreakable during the hardest of times. It's a collection that truly outlines the real New York State Of Mind. The layout is spacious and the prints, beautiful.

Hardcover, 9.5 x 9 inches, 96 pages, 85 duotone photographs.

reviewed by C'mish