By Marc Fischer / Public Collectors

A dive into the world of discarded and resold press photo archives.

Protest Grim Reapers reproduces details from 27 press photos spanning from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. Where available, the stories behind each photo are included. Sourced from newspaper archives and the secondary market, PGR featuring photos taken before the dominance of digital photography.

Often depicted with a scythe, black hood, and skull mask or face paint, the reaper or its counterpart, the angel of death, has been a visual staple at demonstrations addressing issues from hunger, radioactive waste, and the death penalty to environmental concerns, reproductive rights, and factory closures. In more recent years, the grim reaper has reemerged in protest settings, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serving as a stark symbol, the reaper communicates urgency and the dire stakes of the issues at hand, embodying the message: “This is a matter of life or death.”

Published by Public Collectors, 2022

Softcover, 60 pages, b&w offset, 5 × 7 inches