“l’m creating entertainment, which has a serious message if you want to read into it, but I don’t expect to change anyone’s mind – l’m just showing them what they think they may know already.”
– Martin Parr
Dorset, England, 2022
The absurdity, fun and excesses of contemporary life run like through Martin Parr’s (23 May 1952 – 6 December 2025) photographs like words through a stick of rock. Parr’s pictures embrace sharp wit and deadpan humour to deliver a critical but non-judgemental look at our times.
We see tourists on cruise ships – and what use a cruise if you’r not a boozer? – and more of them taking selfies in beautiful places and in once beautiful places now turned into theme parks.
Instead of losing ourselves as we wonder though unknown cities and towns, we seek the familiar by making our faces the focus of every scene and shopping.
Tokyo, Japan, 1998
New York, 1999
Glasgow, Scotland, 1999
Las Vegas, 2000
Mumbai, India, 2018
Cozumel, Mexico, 2002
Venice, 2005
Sorrento, 2014
Jaipur, India
USA. California. Venice Beach. From ‘Common Sense’. 1998.
Ocean Dome, Japan, 1996
Salford, 1986
Switzerland, 1997
Switzerland, 1994
Via: Jeu de Paume