Karen O’Sullivan wasn’t worried about going up. That’s why in the early 80s she went from Manhattan’s Upper West Side to the Lower East Side. She then started to photograph the burgeoning scenes of Hardcore Punk and Hip Hop. Most of her stuff has remained virtually unsung documentation, so all hail “Somewhere Below 14th & East”: the first collection of Karen’s photos, compiling over 150 images of artists as diverse as The Clash, Run DMC, Iggy Pop, Beastie Boys, Minor Threat, UTFO, The Misfits and Whodini as well as the various characters and ne’er-do-wells brave enough to witness history in the making.
The book reflects one of the most vital and creative times in New York’s history and most of all, the reason why the city got the rep that is known for.
Due to a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in the 90s, Karen is unable to photograph anymore and is mostly confined to her apartment in downtown. That’s one more reason to get the book, as a way to show appreciation for her excellent work.
Read all about it, here.
