He was born in the UK in 1952 and studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic form 1970-1973, becoming a full member of Magnum Photographic Cooperation in 1994.
He has developed an international reputation for his innovative imagery, his oblique approach to social documentary and his input to photographic culture within the UK and abroad.
His photographs offer us the opportunity to view the world through his perspective. When you first look at them they seem exaggerated or even grotesque. He describes the overwhelming power of his images as 'propaganda'. Countering his propaganda with his weapons of choice: criticism, seduction and humor.
He researches the concepts of leisure, consumption and communication. He makes the boring everyday scene that we are so familiar with available for us to view and consider in a different way.
Although he is documenting real life as he sees it, the compositions are carefully thought about making the viewer understand the works as he wants us to.
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| England, Ascot, 2003. From the series Luxury, 1995-2009. |
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| New Brighton, from the series Last Resort 1983-1985 |
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| New Brighton, from the series Last Resort 1983-1985 |
I enjoy looking at his photographs because they are amusing and interesting. His work, Cv, recent images and blog can all be found on this page Martin Parr.
Martin Parr is so great, I feel that every one of his images is almost a pun or with sarcastic undertone. E.g. naming his series 'luxury' when its clearly far from. I stumbled across this acticle of another photographer, Kristie Muller, who's images document a similar sense of natural raw colour palate in perfect harmony to be framed - photographed. Although her images have a sense of isolation whereas Martin Parr's working class subjects seem claustrophobic. This is the link for Kristie Muller's article -http://www.dazeddigital.com/photography/article/15944/1/kristie-mullers-isolated-objects
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