United Kingdom • Born in 1952

Tender Albion

Don’t be shy to tell Martin Parr he’s a bit “kitsch” –he would take it as a great compliment! The man, whose impact on British photography measures up to Cartier-Bresson’s in France, is a most compelling artist. His inimitable style has inspired hundreds of talented young photographers. “There’s no such thing as a perfect photo. But when you go out every morning, that’s still what you hope to achieve”, he explains in Lee Shulman’s film “I Am Martin Parr”. “I consider it among my duties to try and define what it means to be English.”

After his early black and white photographs, Martin Parr turned to colour, demonstrating that this technique, new at the time, was not exclusive to fashion and advertisement, and that it could, in fact, be used in art, documentary and creative photography. He captured bright, vivid, ironic, funny scenes, presenting a view of the English middle class that turned out to be controversial, as some viewed his pictures as sharp criticism of his contemporaries, with more than a dash of contempt. Martin Parr has always denied this, saying “my role is to show things as they are, without embellishment”. His sharp eye is at once affectionate, satirical and humorous, making us cringe and smile in equal measure. This approach has earned him some enmity among his peers. So much so that his admission into the Magnum agency almost split it up: half of the members threatened to leave if he was accepted, while the other half refused to go on without him. Parr finally became a member in 1994, and helped to rejuvenate the image of the prestigious photographic cooperative.

A true photographer never leaves his camera. Now aged 73, Martin Parr continues to roam beaches, fairgrounds and other public spaces, chasing up the perfect moment and that tiny, infinitesimal detail –the one that encapsulates his fellow citizens’ idiosyncrasies and contradictions. May they be kitsch or not, there are two ways to look at Parr’s pictures. As well as being funny, they raise questions about identity, the relationship between excessive consumption and its effects on society and the environment, and more. His approach is at the crossroads of tenderness, derision and information, creating the instantly recognisable “Martin Parr” style. The true mark of a genius who has shaped a generation.

LA PRAIRIE

 

Martin Parr