Photographer Janette Beckman's career has spanned four decades. She's shot album covers for bands from The Police to Grandmaster Flash; adverts for Vodaphone; portraits and performances for magazines, record companies, and fashion brands such as Ben Sherman. Beckman knows how to stay current and she recently decided to open up her archive to New York graffiti artists, some of whom have been working for decades themselves, some are just starting out.
Each artist chose a vintage print on which to put their mark, and these are the marvelous results. The project seems to be ongoing as Beckman keeps turning up new ones and there are certainly more iconic images and more graffiti artists for future collaborations.
New York legends the Beastie Boys, photo by Janette Beckman, remixed by Alice Mizrachi
EPMD ride into the frame. Remixed by Jester
Slick Rick classic, much ripped off, only one original. Remixed by duo Morning Breath
Grandmaster Melle Mel, remixed by MRS
The pop artist Keith Haring is remixed by Cey Adams, founding creative director of Def Jam
Singularly iconic shot of LL Cool J with boombox, reimagined by Muck
The one and only Run DMC, in Hollis, Queens, remixed by Queen Andrea
The most recent collaboration is Big Daddy Kane, remixed by Ces
Prints from the series are currently hanging in Gansevoort Market in New York's Meatpacking district but they won't be there long so hurry down for a unique experience, it ends early March. Opening at the end of March is an exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York, featuring work by Beckman along with two other New York photographers, Joe Conzo and Martha Cooper. Titled "Hip-Hop Revolution" it will include more than 80 photographs taken between 1977 and 1990.