Martha Cooper

You cant stop graffiti photography legend Martha Cooper from scoping out fresh work from some of the scenes biggest names and most prolific writers, even if it means she has to walk back and forth across the worlds greatest cities. In Name Tagging, Cooper presents a dizzying array of Hello My Name Is stickers adorned with tags, the origin of graffiti and todays street art cultures. Graffiti mythology credits TAKI 183 as one of the first people to be known for tagging all over New York City. But no one can pinpoint exactly when graffiti writers started using stickers to practice, hone and disseminate their tags. ZEPHYR recalls seeing tags on nametag stickers as early as 1973, though they began to appear with much more regularity in the late 70s and early 80s. What Coopers introduction, artist interviews and photographs make clear, however, is that no matter when the tradition began, it has spread all over the world, with artists famed and anonymous taking advantage of the accessibility and practicality of nametag stickers. From CLAW MONEY and NECK FACE to TWIST, SURE, FAUST, COSBE and many, many more, Coopers camera has captured the artistry and audacity of these artists and their distinctive tags. Where Coopers last book with MBP, Going Postal, focused on postal sticker art with an emphasis on street art, Name Tagging recognizes the variety and innovation of tags, crediting the forms history while demonstrating how old school methods breed some of todays most exciting graffiti.