Martha Cooper with her poster. Photo by Luna Park.

As New York City’s payphones continue to disappear rapidly, we’ve been reaching back out to a few friends and past collaborators for one last shot to install their work in a piece of iconic New York City street furniture. Martha Cooper really got into the spirit with this piece, which matches not only the weather but also includes a payphone in the background! The photo brought to mind this famous line from Joseph Campbell:

“As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think.”
- Joseph Campbell

Or, to put that another way…

“The guy sailing over the slushy street seemed appropriate and not only because of the weather. Let’s say he represents survival in the face of adversity.”
- Martha Cooper

While Campbell’s advice feels a bit serious, the guy in Martha’s photo looks like he’s having some fun! That’s something we all need these days.

And we had some fun with this one. Martha joined us for the installation. She’s always up for an adventure. But then she sprang a surprise on us: She had invited some friends to stop by to see the poster. That’s when the strangest thing happened. We turned our heads and chatted for no more than a few minutes, and suddenly the booth had been tagged up! So unexpected.

But that’s how things go when you install in public space: You don’t have the guarantee that anything will last, not even through lunch.

Martha Cooper and some well-timed vandals. Photo by Luna Park.