Martin Parr.2

500 Words about Martin Parr

Martin Parr is a British documentary photographer, collector, contemporary photographer and photojournalist. Parr is well known for his photographic projects that have a critical view on modern society, foreign travel and tourism, motoring, family and relationships, and food. Parr though born in Epsom, Surrey later moved to Suburbia, but not the high end, the area he lived in was dull and had no center. Parr was a keen collector, he collected watches, wallpaper and trays, it is said that Parr inherited this from his father who was also a keen collector, proof of this is shown through his work, he has several well-known collection such as; Boring Postcards and Autoportraits. It is also said that his father was a keen ornithologist, Martin would often accompany him on bird-watching trips, and family holidays, usually to Norfolk or France, were usually characterized by his father’s love of nature, and enthusiasm for birds of prey. Parr was interested in photography from an early age of 14, his grandfather, who was an armature photographer, is said to be an early influence to that part of Parr's life, Parr wouldmake regular visits north, to see him. Parr shot one of his first photographic series at the age of 16; it was taken at a fish and chips shop on one of his trips to Yorkshire. Two years later in 1970 Parr moved to Manchester to study at college, there he enjoyed exploring and photographing the ordinary, day-to-day life of British culture and society. British culture quickly became part of his photography collections, in his earlier work with Daniel Meadows they spent time at Butlin’s and later at June Street in Salford photographing things such as peoples living rooms. Parr and Meadows became employees at the camp, living in a chalet with free board and lodgings and only Saturdays off, they took many photographs in the resort of its guests and the resort itself. In 1972 “Butlin’s By The Sea went on show at Impressions Gallery in York. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that Parr had the attention he wanted, this was due to the shift in British photography. Over the years Parr’s photography has changed as his interests have developed but elements remain such as saturated colour and fill-in flash flash-lit and brightly coloured postcards, brochures and snapshots. Parr took up teaching at Newport in Gwent there he encouraged his students to experiment with negative film, medium format cameras and flash to capture what he called the ‘brashness’ of the 1980s. Parr moved around a lot after he completed The Last Resort in 1987 Parr moved from Wallasey to Bristol. Because Parr’s photographic reputation had thus far been built on photographing in the North, the move was dramatic. Over the next few years Parr focused on his collection The Cost Of Living; this focuses on the middle-class, his own class. The subjects of the photographs make small talk and chitchat. They eat strawberries from little plastic bowls at functions. Consumerism and commoditised culture continues to be an obsession for Martin Parr. Over the last decade his camera has moved ever closer in on his subject, picturing detail with remorseless clarity.