It’s hard to stop rebels that time travel 
Raymond Thompson Jr
Void
English
Hardcover
Edition of 500
112 pages
175 x 245 mm
2025
ISBN 9786185479404
Through the use of archival fragments, historic ephemera and his own photographs, artist Raymond Thompson Jr focuses on previously concealed stories of slaves, maroons, and runaways. ‘It’s hard to stop rebels that time travel’ aims to expand narratives about the Black experience and connection to the ‘American’ landscape.
The project is centered around the city of New Bern, North Carolina in the US—established in 1710 as hub for the trade of human beings —an area rich with historic moments. Many maroons—enslaved people who had escaped their captors but chose not to flee to the north— inhabited the liminal spaces in the vicinity. They created lives in hard-access swamps or in the ungoverned wild spaces between plantations and their survival strategies and techniques can be thought of as ‘freedom practices.’ Collectively, the materials in the book reach through time to these maroons of the 18th century and connect them to both the contemporary landscape and the viewer.
(Source: https://void.photo/its-hard-to-stop-rebels-that-time-travel)
About the Artist
Raymond, an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and visual journalist, is based in Austin, TX. He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. His academic journey includes an MFA in Photography from West Virginia University, an MA in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and a degree in American Studies from the University of Mary Washington.
Raymond explores how race, memory, representation, and place combine to shape the Black environmental imagination of the North American landscape.
Raymond’s professional experience extends to freelance photography, where he has collaborated with renowned organizations such as The New York Times, The Intercept, NBC News, NPR, Politico, ProPublica, The Nature Conservancy, ACLU, WBEZ, Google, Merrell, Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine, and the Associated Press.
https://www.raymondthompsonjr.com/
(Source: https://www.raymondthompsonjr.com/contact)
About the Publisher
Void is an independent publishing house dedicated to photography books and education. The project is driven by its founders Myrto Steirou and João Linneu. You might bump into Myrto, Void’s editor, at a book fair or festival in a far flung part of the globe, but you’ll usually find her in Greece, at their store in Athens. João, Void’s designer, is based in Reykjavík… it’s entirely possible that you may not meet him (in person at least). Void works with both established and up-and-coming artists, proudly fostering photographers’ debut books.
Void has collaborated with many international art institutions since we started, back in October 2016. In 2021 Void became one of Futures Photography’s members. Void is devoted to and passionate about the projects they undertake. In their books, you will find powerful stories and innovative design, melded together with fine and experimental material.
void.photo
(Source: https://void.photo/contact)
