Gauntlet Gallery — Martha Cooper Print Index
Leap Of Faith
Summary
Leap Of Faith is a 2009 collaboration between Martha Cooper and Shepard Fairey, released through Subliminal Projects Gallery on January 31, 2009. Measuring 18 x 24 inches in an edition of 450, it converts one of Cooper's dynamic documentary photographs into a Fairey screen print, capturing a moment of physical daring in her signature street-culture register.
Why It Matters
As one of the Cooper-Fairey collaborations from early 2009, this print marks the ongoing dialogue between documentary photography and OBEY's graphic sensibility. The evocative title and edition of 450 make it a recognizable entry point for collectors of either artist. Its gallery-release provenance through Subliminal Projects adds a clear origin story.
Collector Perspective
Check the signature, edition number within the run of 450, and overall condition of the 18 x 24 sheet. As a January 2009 Subliminal Projects release, examples with documented purchase history carry added assurance. The kinetic subject makes visual presentation important, so a flat, unfaded, cleanly margined copy will read best when framed and displayed.
Historical Context
The Cooper-Fairey partnership produced several prints in 2009, released through Fairey's Los Angeles gallery Subliminal Projects. These editions reinterpreted Cooper's decades of street documentation through the screen-print vocabulary Fairey had popularized. Leap Of Faith belongs to that wave, reflecting how the era fused archival photography with contemporary poster-art production and distribution.
FAQ
Who created this print?
It is a collaboration between Martha Cooper and Shepard Fairey, released through Subliminal Projects Gallery.
When was it released?
It was released on Saturday, January 31, 2009.
What is the size and medium?
It is an 18 x 24 inch screen print.
What is the edition size?
It was issued in an edition of 450.
About the Artist
Martha Cooper (born 1943 in Baltimore) is an American photojournalist celebrated for documenting New York City graffiti and street culture in the 1970s and 1980s. A former New York Post staff photographer, she co-authored the landmark 1984 book "Subway Art" with Henry Chalfant, which became a foundational document of graffiti culture worldwide. Her images preserved a transient art form and influenced generations of writers. Cooper continues to photograph street art and urban life globally, and her archive is recognized as an essential visual record of hip-hop and graffiti history.
Collecting Martha Cooper at Gauntlet Gallery
What should I look for when buying a Martha Cooper photograph?
Seek signed archival or gelatin silver prints with clear edition information, print date, and format. Many of her most famous images from "Subway Art" exist as later signed editions, so confirm the printing and edition size. Gauntlet Gallery documents the print type, edition details, and condition for each Cooper photograph.
How is a Martha Cooper print authenticated?
Authentication depends on the artist's signature, edition numbering, and provenance from a gallery, publisher, or the studio, plus any certificate provided. Matching a print to a documented edition is the key check. Gauntlet Gallery includes the available paperwork and provenance and states the printing method for each work.
What drives value in Martha Cooper's work?
Value is led by her most iconic graffiti and hip-hop images, vintage prints, small edition sizes, signature, and condition. Photographs tied directly to "Subway Art" and the early NYC scene attract the strongest interest. Signed, well-preserved limited editions with solid provenance hold value best.