New York City based photographer Pete Voelker has spent the last several years documenting the political and social climate in the USA, working directly within the heat of demonstrations, marches and protests. Existing between the realms of art and journalism, his deeply resonant images simultaneously illustrate, incite recognition and inspire discussion over the multitude of pitfalls within today’s society.

Released in 2015, Voelker’s first book, Here’s Looking At You, featured a series of images captured throughout the 48 contiguous United States of America. The photographs possess a brilliantly grainy nostalgia; a sense of romanticised wonderment that one can only truly feel on the road. Now, we are exposed to an entirely different aspect of his artistry in his second, limited edition book, System Change, Not Climate Change, launching with a new exhibition at Doomed Gallery this week.

The limited edition book features 35 photographs shot at protests and demonstrations between 2014-2016, poignant visual observations of the social injustice present in the USA. Both dark and commanding, honest and exposed, the  series is charged with raw emotion and evokes the diverse and overlapping aspects of inequity within American society and the country’s current political climate.

Between the acute comprehension of global politics and social issues that Voelker obtained throughout his childhood and teenage years and the clear vehemence that runs through his images, the intentions behind his upcoming second solo exhibition in London are clear. Here’s an artistic voice orbiting the world of social injustice and striving for society’s ultimate goal: equality.

Zoe Springer: Can you tell me a little bit about your upcoming exhibition and book release?
Pete Voelker: System Change Not Climate Change is an edit of photographs taken in the USA between 2014 and 2016, it is a collection of images documenting protests and other demonstrations relating to social justice movements as well as the political climate within the presidential election year.

ZS: What led you to the development of this project and your dedication to the subject of social activism?
PV: The first march I successfully created images at was a demonstration against police brutality in response to the murder of Eric Garner. I had set out that afternoon primarily to march and express my disdain for the oppression and inequality that was blatantly occurring across my nation. After spending many hours marching I had a few hundred photos and the desire to share them. In an effort to help create awareness and spur discussion, these were the first protest images I decided to publish. After they went live on a few different media sites I felt as If I had been successful and decided to focus on this work moving forward. The book is a concentration of images from different movements and causes that I personally believe deserve discussion and acknowledgement.

“After spending many hours marching I had a few hundred photos and the desire to share them.”

ZS: Do you believe that the act of protesting is an essential element in the establishment of change?
PV: Yes. I think as a whole, our society has come a long way but with that said, the biggest changes and hardest ones to create were propelled by the selfless dedication of activists.

ZS: What first triggered your interest in social activism?
PV: Growing up in a military family established a sharp awareness of global politics at a fairly young age.  I often spoke with my father about our relations with other countries around the world. He spoke rather candidly with me and was never afraid to answer my tough questions. An Air Force Colonel and a veteran, who on paper is very conservative, was never afraid to tell me when he thought we had done the wrong thing and he was sure to make me aware of the injustices that have grown from our precedent.  I believe those discussions and his ability to be critical instilled a lot of curiosity and desire to learn and expand my understanding of our present society. And in my teenage years, I regularly attended shows and concerts in Washington DC. More often than not, especially with local bands, these events were politically charged.  It was a regular site to have tables full of literature promoting activism and different causes within the region and country as a whole. The first demonstration that I attended was in 2003 outside of the IMF World Bank in Washington DC, it was also a protest of the newly engaged Iraq War. This demonstration was the first time I had been around people more critical than my father, and I learned a lot. I was exposed to a whole new line of thought and culture that had previously been out of reach for me and I absolutely embraced it. I went on to study at an incredibly liberal art school where these interests were expanded and cultivated.

“Our society has come a long way, but the biggest changes and hardest ones to create were propelled by the selfless dedication of activists.”

ZS: What aspects of social activism are you mostly interested in?
PV: I’ve said this before, but I think no matter which side of the aisle a ‘cause’ may fall on, whether I’m behind it or against it, its undeniable that the energy and passion within social activism is electric. As a visual artist I find the incredible urge to fight for your beliefs and exercise your first amendment rights a truly beautiful sight.  I don’t mean that the issues aren’t tragic or even sometimes outrageous, demonstrations are called for so many different reasons and I’m drawn to attend all of them due to this raw energy and fight for change.  I full heartedly believe in democracy and listening to the voice of the people, and I believe the overwhelmingly majority of Americans want equality, for themselves and their compatriots. Issues that I am primarily drawn to are Equality and Climate Change. I believe that if there is equality we will obtain true justice, and I believe that if we don’t unite against Climate Change the whole world is in peril.

ZS: Can you describe what you believe to the core problem within the social system of America that leads to this rise in protests? What are your views on the increasing volume of protesting around the globe?
PV: I don’t believe there is a rise in protests, they have always occurred and always will. There will be a need to protest until every last person is heard, understood, and represented.  Equality has to be for everyone, neither gender or race nor religion or social economic status should be a deciding factor in Justice.

ZS: In the future, do you plan to continue documenting protests and marches within the US or are you looking to travel and establish a more global take on your work?
PV: I have a keen interest in politics and social justice within the USA but there is no doubt in my mind that I am eager to learn more about injustice around the planet.  It’s unfortunate but if we can’t grasp the problems within our own borders we will continue to systemically spread our shortcomings.

ZS: Do you believe that they may be leading to progression or an indication that society is merely stuck?
PV: I think every protest leads to progress. Not only do protests force awareness but also they allow people to grieve injustice.  Demonstrations are often more than a political statement and never put forth as a nuisance to the public for the sake of being fussy. The struggle and fight is real, the act of marching is aimed to be informative but at the same time is cathartic; when people have nowhere to turn or be heard, the decision to block traffic or occupy land is often the last way to express their torment. 

ZS: How would you like your work to impact viewers? Is there anything specific that you aim to say with this project or is it more of a documentation?
PV: On a basic level I hope that my work encourages awareness and discussion. I want to show the importance of protesting as well as the need for equality and justice. I hope to inspire people to think about not just their own lives but also the people around them, the society we live in and what they hope for it to be.

“When people have nowhere to turn or be heard, the decision to block traffic or occupy land is often the last way to express their torment.”

ZS: Can you describe the process in which you work in order to capture the images within this book?
PV: Typically I insert myself directly within a protest. Marching alongside others and standing in the same queues and crowds; listening to the same speakers and even heeding the same warnings given by law enforcement.

ZS: Would you describe your work as more spontaneous or did you go into the creation of this book and exhibition with underlying ideas that have been researched that you wish to capture?
PV: A lot of the work is quite spontaneous as protests often arise very quickly and covertly. But that’s not always the situation, when I traveled the length of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline I had prepared for months, meticulously researching both the fight for and against it’s construction. The book itself is a carefully sequenced edit of 35 images out of thousands that I’ve captured.

ZS: There’s a contrast between the content of your first book Here’s Looking at You and your more current work. Would you consider yourself to be more of an artist or journalist?
PV: Artist first and foremost – HLAY is a book of images taken across all 48 contiguous United States of America. During that time of exploration I was eager to see my country and experience the many different cultures and beliefs that make the USA what it is. I was searching for an understanding of what it means to be American. It’s during those years, that time spent on the road in different cities, towns, and states that I became aware of how divided our country can be. HLAY didn’t represent these realisations itself but instead acts as a visual passage through the USA, acknowledging the beauty, mundane and potential. I think what motivated me to create HLAY is actually very similar to the desire to attend and document demonstrations. Being a United States citizen means a lot of different things around the world and investigating the American landscape was key to knowing what it means when I identify as an American.

ZS: How do you plan on continuing the documentation of social injustice?
PV: I live in NYC and protests are a regular occurrence, I don’t make it to each one, in fact I don’t make it to a lot of demonstrations, but I will continue to go out and march and take photographs moving forward. The publishing of System Change Not Climate Change isn’t a completion or pause in this direction of my photography but more so a manifestation of my current focus in a time where our society is seeing major social shifts (e.g. Donald Trump, Brexit, Marine Le Pen).

Pete Voelker: ‘System Change Not Climate Change‘ opens tomorrow, 13th October and runs until 16th October at Doomed Gallery, Dalston E8