They say you shouldn’t believe your own press releases, and we agree. We also are beyond excited to be in Berlin this week with Martha Cooper for a slate of activities celebrating our curation of her career-spanning retrospective including:
The brand new museum facade painting by Lady Aiko celebrating the exhibition inside and Martha, a tour with the curators for lucky raffle winners on IG, the introduction of a brand new Shepard Fairey/Martha remix print edition of 550, the official Grand Opening of the Martha Cooper Library, and a 24 city country-wide simulcast of the Selina Miles directed, Martha: A Picture Story film to be shown in theaters across Germany – with Martha and Nika Kramer and us and special guests at the Babylon Theater in Berlin. Tom from Blackstreets tells us it is almost sold out!

As always, we are very grateful to BSA readers for your years of support as well as the entire team at Urban Nation Museum, at YES, AND productions (YAP) in Berlin, and the non-profit foundation Berliner Leben. None of these events could have happened without you and your dedication and talents.

Following is the glowing press release:

DEAR URBAN NATION FRIENDS,

The highlight of the year is coming up: Martha Cooper and Brooklyn Street Art (BSA), the curators of the current exhibition “Martha Cooper: Taking Pictures”, will be special guests at URBAN NATION from October 27 – 29! What’s planned? The museum facade is redesigned by Lady Aiko. There will be a raffle to win for an exclusive curator’s tour of the “Martha Cooper: Taking Pictures” exhibition. URBAN NATION and Shepard Fairey have come up with a special feature for Martha Cooper’s visit to Berlin.

BOOK SIGNING AND SHEPARD FAIREY PUBLIC PRINT RELEASE

Friday, October 29, Shepard Fairey Public Print Release. Book signing with, Jaime Rojo, Steven P. Harrington and (depending on the late hour) Martha Cooper, at the URBAN NATION Museum Bülowstraße 7, 10783 Berlin From 8:00 pm admission From 8:30 pm onwards public sale of limited-edition prints published exclusively by U.S. artist Shepard Fairey as part of the exhibition “Martha Cooper: Taking Pictures”. There will be a book signing session with Martha Cooper, Jaime Rojo, and Steven P. Harrington.

FILM SCREENING

Thursday, October 28, Film screening “Martha: A Picture Story” followed by a panel discussion, at Babylon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 30, 10178 Berlin. Martha Cooper is not a legend or an icon. It is much simpler and much more beautiful: Martha Cooper is a photographer who managed to keep the flame in her heart burning until today. Her photos are distinctive, focused on the moment. Snapshots and captured moments, driven by curiosity; unclouded perspectives, no filters or staging. The raw view, the “real” picture with respect for her subject. Thanks to Selina Miles that this impressive story, and especially Martha Cooper herself, receives a tribute in this film that does justice to her, her drive, and her passion. From 6:30 pm Admission 7:30 pm Screening of “Martha: A Picture Story” Selina Miles, USA/Australia, 2019. In cooperation with Blackstreets Magazine and shown concurrently in 24 theaters across Germany. Followed by Q&A and panel discussion with Martha Cooper, Jaime Rojo, and Steven P. Harrington. Moderated by Nika Kramer.

WIN AN EXCLUSIVE TOUR

Win an exclusive curatorial tour with Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington (Brooklyn Street Art) on Wednesday, October 27, 3:30 – 5:30 pm. Participation is available via Instagram. MORE INFO

OPENING OF THE MARTHA COOPER LIBRARY

On November 2, 2021, the “Martha Cooper Library at URBAN NATION Museum Berlin” (MCL) will open: a library specializing in graffiti, street art, and urban art literature. It will show the development of these art movements since the 1970s as well as the diversity of their genres and forms of expression. One focus is on style writing starting in the 1970s in the U.S. tradition, originating from Philadelphia and New York. The now steadily growing collection is based on a generous gift as well as loans of publications and archival materials by Martha Cooper. The MCL also assembles relevant materials for research by scholars, artists, and curators, and is available to the scholarship holders of the “Fresh A.I.R.” residency program. Anyone interested is invited to use the reference library beginning November 2, 2021 by appointment. The library reading room is located on the second floor of the URBAN NATION Museum. An inventory catalog is available online. Martha Cooper Library opening hours Tuesdays 10:00 am – 3:30 pm Thursdays 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm Seating for the library can be reserved through our website.

SPECIAL OPENING HOURS DURING MARTHA COOPER’S VISIT

Tuesday, October 26, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Wednesday, October 27, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Thursday, October 28, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm Friday, October 29, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Saturday, October 30, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm Sunday, October 31, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm Admission is free of charge.

The theaters that will be concurrently showing Martha: A Picture Story film this Thursday:

Augsburg, Mr. Camouflage (Riedingerstr. 26, 86153)
TICKTES @ Psychic Shop

Berlin, Babylon (Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 30, 10178)
TICKETS / 19:30 Offizielle Premiere / 22:00 2. Vorstellung

Bochum, Neuland, (Rottstraße 15, 44793)

Bremen, Horner Eck, (Friesenstraße 95, 28203)

Chemnitz, Weltecho (Annaberger Str. 24, 09111)
ABENDKASSE

Cottbus, Chekov (Stromstraße 14, 03046)
ABENDKASSE

Dresden, centre films (Meißner Str. 21, 01445 Radebeul)
ABENDKASSE

Erfurt, Retronom (Johannesstraße 17A, 99084)
ABENDKASSE

Frankfurt am Main, Studio 294 (Milchsackfabrik, Gutleutstraße 294, 60327)
ABENDKASSE

Frankfurt (Oder), Stuck (Lindenstraße 7, 15230)
ABENDKASSE

Freiburg, Kulturaggregat (Hildastraße 5, 79102)
TICKETS

Hamburg, Zeise Kinos (Friedensallee 7-9, 22765)
TICKETS

Hannover, Kulturzentrum Faust (Zur Bettfedernfabrik 3, 30451)
TICKETS

Heidelberg, Karlstorkino (Am Karlstor 1, 69117)
TICKETS

Jena, Café Wagner (Wagnergasse 26, 07743)
ABENDKASSE

Kassel, UK14 (Untere Karlsstraße 14, 34117)
TICKETS

Köln, dedicated (Hamburger Str. 18, 50668)
VVK direkt im Laden

Leipzig, UT Connewitz (Wolfgang-Heinze-Straße 12 a, 04277)
TICKETS

Magdeburg, Soultunes (Halberstädter Str. 3, 39112)
ABENDKASSE

Mainz, Haus der Jugend (Mitternachtsgasse 8, 55116)
ABENDKASSE

München, Monopol Kino (Schleißheimer Str. 127, 80797)
TICKETS

Oldenburg, KinOLaden, (Wallstraße 24, 26122)
ABENDKASSE oder Vorbestellung (info(ÄT)werkstattfilm.de)

Regensburg, Ostentor-Kino (Adolf-Schmetzer-Str. 5, 93055)
TICKETS

Rostock, Palette (Borwinstraße 34, 18057)
ABENDKASSE

Weimar, Termin fällt leider aus!

Wiesbaden – Achtung, dieser Termin findet jetzt in Mainz statt! Siehe oben.