The Last Resort, New Brighton, England, Great Britain, 1983-85 © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos
“I’m a great believer in humour and irony. It’s one of the few things we still do well in Britain. Otherwise we are completely useless at everything,” Martin Parr says. The Magnum photographer’s world, predominated by bright colours, extreme close-ups, humour, and kitsch, leaves nobody indifferent.
Welcome to Parr World
Martin Parr at Galerie Paris-Beijing © Heleen Rodiers
Flushed, slightly flap-eared, reddish hair, and an electric blue T-shirt with a blue, striped collar: this huge close-up of the back of an Irish – or was it English? – boy’s head was featured in the exhibition Common Sense by Martin Parr almost fifteen years ago. It wasn’t even the most iconic image in the series of hundreds of photos by the British photographer, but it made such an enormous impression that I have never forgotten it. The detail, blown completely out of proportion, and the colours that were almost too bright made me wonder what I was supposed to think of it. Beautiful or ugly didn’t really cover it, but intriguing, critical of the social structure, and funny came closer.
Flushed, slightly flap-eared, reddish hair, and an electric blue T-shirt with a blue, striped collar: this huge close-up of the back of an Irish – or was it English? – boy’s head was featured in the exhibition Common Sense by Martin Parr almost fifteen years ago. It wasn’t even the most iconic image in the series of hundreds of photos by the British photographer, but it made such an enormous impression that I have never forgotten it. The detail, blown completely out of proportion, and the colours that were almost too bright made me wonder what I was supposed to think of it. Beautiful or ugly didn’t really cover it, but intriguing, critical of the social structure, and funny came closer.
Luxury, Galway Races, Ireland, 1997 © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos
I have an appointment with that very same Martin Parr (1952). He is a shining example for dozens of photographers, one of Magnum Photos’ big stars. This is quite remarkable because Parr’s visual language is utterly new and the Old Guard at Magnum led by Henri Cartier-Bresson wondered whether Parr was from another planet. He was the first non-commercial photographer in the United Kingdom to opt for colour. It was a revolutionary choice because all “serious” photographers at the time worked in black and white.
Entertainment
In his subject matter, Parr challenges himself to take interesting photos in the dullest places. Why should serious photography only be about war or Africa? Parr: “There are many serious issues I want to address and deal with, but I deal with them through entertainment. I’m not going to be too heavy about it, there is no point. We are all bored with people who are too weighty.” Parr confronts his audience with consumer society in an ironic way. Tourism, shopping, mobile telephones, the nouveaux riches are very much a part of Parr’s world. He made his breakthrough with The Last Resort (1983-85). “That project was about a run-down seaside resort in the north of England, near Liverpool. At the height of her power, Margaret Thatcher was telling us what a great nation we were, so I quite enjoyed showing a family’s activities surrounded by lots of litter. I’m creating fictional reality. So I’m always going to exaggerate reality. That’s why I make sure that the litter is at its worst when I’m taking photos.” The reactions to the series were very harsh. How dare he exploit the working classes? But to Parr, this subject is just as legitimate as a war in Syria, AIDS in Africa, or extreme violence in Mexico.
People watcher
Parr creeps up on people. He takes photos with wide-angle or macro lenses and gets very close to his subjects. People sometimes have to feel that there is someone there. But the imposing and cheerful Martin Parr quickly diffuses the tension by making a joke or giving a compliment. He has great love for the people he photographs and has enormous psychological insight.
I have an appointment with that very same Martin Parr (1952). He is a shining example for dozens of photographers, one of Magnum Photos’ big stars. This is quite remarkable because Parr’s visual language is utterly new and the Old Guard at Magnum led by Henri Cartier-Bresson wondered whether Parr was from another planet. He was the first non-commercial photographer in the United Kingdom to opt for colour. It was a revolutionary choice because all “serious” photographers at the time worked in black and white.
Entertainment
In his subject matter, Parr challenges himself to take interesting photos in the dullest places. Why should serious photography only be about war or Africa? Parr: “There are many serious issues I want to address and deal with, but I deal with them through entertainment. I’m not going to be too heavy about it, there is no point. We are all bored with people who are too weighty.” Parr confronts his audience with consumer society in an ironic way. Tourism, shopping, mobile telephones, the nouveaux riches are very much a part of Parr’s world. He made his breakthrough with The Last Resort (1983-85). “That project was about a run-down seaside resort in the north of England, near Liverpool. At the height of her power, Margaret Thatcher was telling us what a great nation we were, so I quite enjoyed showing a family’s activities surrounded by lots of litter. I’m creating fictional reality. So I’m always going to exaggerate reality. That’s why I make sure that the litter is at its worst when I’m taking photos.” The reactions to the series were very harsh. How dare he exploit the working classes? But to Parr, this subject is just as legitimate as a war in Syria, AIDS in Africa, or extreme violence in Mexico.
People watcher
Parr creeps up on people. He takes photos with wide-angle or macro lenses and gets very close to his subjects. People sometimes have to feel that there is someone there. But the imposing and cheerful Martin Parr quickly diffuses the tension by making a joke or giving a compliment. He has great love for the people he photographs and has enormous psychological insight.
Small World, Acropolis, Athens, Greece, 1991 © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos
Martin Parr is obsessed by photography. He doesn’t only take photos constantly, but also curates exhibitions and has published about 60 books. Recently he started directing films too, and he is a voracious memorabilia collector. As long as it involves photographs: from Star Trek wall paper and trays with tourist tableaux to Thatcher memorabilia and watches with pictures of Osama bin Laden on them. How did he become so obsessed with photography? Parr [Drily]: “My father was an obsessive bird watcher. I inherited his genes although my interests are different.”
Martin Parr is obsessed by photography. He doesn’t only take photos constantly, but also curates exhibitions and has published about 60 books. Recently he started directing films too, and he is a voracious memorabilia collector. As long as it involves photographs: from Star Trek wall paper and trays with tourist tableaux to Thatcher memorabilia and watches with pictures of Osama bin Laden on them. How did he become so obsessed with photography? Parr [Drily]: “My father was an obsessive bird watcher. I inherited his genes although my interests are different.”
Common Sense, Zurich, Switzerland, 1997 © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos
Martin Parr is in good spirits. He has a reputation for being rather grumpy during interviews, but today he is entertaining and funny. When I ask him about the obligatory flash and call him “the King of Flash”, he laughs heartily and says: “I started using flash when I was doing the bad weather project in the late 1970s. I came up with this idea to photograph in bad weather conditions. In Britain we’re obsessed with the weather, we’re always discussing it. I bought an underwater camera, so I could go out, no matter how bad the weather was. I started experimenting with this combination of flash and rain and snow. Using the flash made me realise how subjective photography is. If you know what to do, the photographer has in his grasp the ability to change the way things look. It heightens a sort of surreal nature of everyday things very effectively. It changes real life and that really helps me to create fiction. All photography is a form of fiction, it is one creative fiction out of reality. The notion of telling the truth through photography is long gone.” He refers to the Bored Couples series into which he has smuggled a self-portrait. He’s sitting at a table with his partner and looks around somewhat bored. “I wasn’t bored at all, I was actually pretty excited.” [Laughs]
Martin Parr increasingly spends time working on other projects. An omen that the photographer’s career is coming to an end? “No, I’m still very active in photography. I’m getting old, obviously. Perhaps, in 20 years I won’t be able to do it anymore, so I have to get as much as possible done while I can. There are so many things I still want to do. The question is how to fit it all in?” Good luck with that, Sire!
MARTIN PARR • > 27/7, di/ma/Tu > za/sa/Sa 11 > 19.00, gratis/gratuit/free,
GALERIE PARIS-BEIJING, Hôtel Wissinger, Munthofstraat 66 rue de l’Hôtel des Monnaies, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles, 02-851.04.13, www.galerieparisbeijing.com
Martin Parr is in good spirits. He has a reputation for being rather grumpy during interviews, but today he is entertaining and funny. When I ask him about the obligatory flash and call him “the King of Flash”, he laughs heartily and says: “I started using flash when I was doing the bad weather project in the late 1970s. I came up with this idea to photograph in bad weather conditions. In Britain we’re obsessed with the weather, we’re always discussing it. I bought an underwater camera, so I could go out, no matter how bad the weather was. I started experimenting with this combination of flash and rain and snow. Using the flash made me realise how subjective photography is. If you know what to do, the photographer has in his grasp the ability to change the way things look. It heightens a sort of surreal nature of everyday things very effectively. It changes real life and that really helps me to create fiction. All photography is a form of fiction, it is one creative fiction out of reality. The notion of telling the truth through photography is long gone.” He refers to the Bored Couples series into which he has smuggled a self-portrait. He’s sitting at a table with his partner and looks around somewhat bored. “I wasn’t bored at all, I was actually pretty excited.” [Laughs]
Martin Parr increasingly spends time working on other projects. An omen that the photographer’s career is coming to an end? “No, I’m still very active in photography. I’m getting old, obviously. Perhaps, in 20 years I won’t be able to do it anymore, so I have to get as much as possible done while I can. There are so many things I still want to do. The question is how to fit it all in?” Good luck with that, Sire!
MARTIN PARR • > 27/7, di/ma/Tu > za/sa/Sa 11 > 19.00, gratis/gratuit/free,
GALERIE PARIS-BEIJING, Hôtel Wissinger, Munthofstraat 66 rue de l’Hôtel des Monnaies, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles, 02-851.04.13, www.galerieparisbeijing.com
Read more about: Expo
Fijn dat je wil reageren. Wie reageert, gaat akkoord met onze huisregels. Hoe reageren via Disqus? Een woordje uitleg.