Martha Cooper Cops on Subway 1981 Skate Deck Set

A defining image of early 1980s New York, Cops on Subway, 1981 captures a moment suspended between control and chaos. Inside a graffiti-covered subway car, two police officers stand within a space shaped by a city in transformation. Nothing is staged, yet everything feels composed. It is a photograph that reveals itself slowly, holding tension without resolving it.

Reimagined as a pentaptych, the image is unfolded across five decks. Each panel isolates a fragment of the scene, bringing forward details that might otherwise remain peripheral. When assembled, the full composition reappears, offering a more immersive way to experience the photograph.

Edition details

• Artist: Martha Cooper

• Title: Cops on Subway, 1981

• Format: Pentaptych (5 skate decks)

• Edition of 50

• Hand-signed edition by the artist

• Material: 7-ply FSC-certified maple wood

• Each deck measures approx. 31x8in (80x20cm)

• 1 Easyfix wall mount included per deck
• Includes: Numbered edition + Certificate of Authenticity