Knew his health was failing but 73 is no age regardless. A wonderful photographer, a lovely guy - met him once at an exhibition he was putting on at the Portrait Gallery - and he’ll be sorely missed.
Martin Parr, photographer acclaimed for observations of British life, dies aged 73 | Martin Parr | The Guardian Martin Parr, photographer acclaimed for observations of British life, dies aged 73 | Martin Parr | The Guardian
Not trying to start anything here, but never been too sure about his work. Some of his stuff has always felt a little fetishing / patronising
Very good documentary from this year:
I’d like to hear more about this. it’s important to still be able to be critical about bodies of work
Depends on your view of street photography and photographing people in real situations. Personally I think it’s important and love seeing photos of real life in times gone by.
Unless there was something else I don’t know about?
Any hand-wringing I had about class fetishism disappeared when I went up to see one of the exhibitions up north and saw how much locals loved it - lots of mums and grans and grandads ooh-ing and aah-ing and laughing over it. The documentary above also shows how considerate and thoughtful he is of the things he’s photographing.
For me he made it clear to people outside of these socioeconomic spheres that there was still joy and humanity and fun and love in the kinds of places Thatcher and that era of government was hellbent on decimating (and many people in the south had totally written off). As someone who grew up in the 80s in a similar area to the ones he photographed, none of it felt like poverty porn to me.
He had a really good eye and the whole thing was done with a lot of love, I think. Artistically he also basically owned an entire ‘look’ - highly saturated, bright flash, hyperreal - that will forever be associated with him, which in itself is kind of amazing.
Caveat that I’m only really familiar with his most famous series, Last Resort, and also I’m not working class myself.
But his series always seemed to be depicting the subjects in the most grotesque, cartoonish fashion. His camera isn’t particularly kind to them. I dunno, I think it’s cause I’m aware that he’s a middle class southerner who got famous taking pictures of sunburnt northerners on a litter-strewn beach.
Just never been my bag. Also heard that the recent documentary has David Walliams as a talking head which is… a choice
I agree and like street photography / realist art. This article I found talks about some interesting contrasts / alternatives to his work
My mate worked with him for a while in Manchester. Said he was a relentless worker and supported countless photographers with their work and opportunities. He’s super upset about the news.
There are a whole swathe of people that will view the world differently because of his pictures. That’s quite an achievement.
I do think the class element is important to most of the industry criticism. Almost every criticism I’ve heard of his work from art critics or other photographers has come from someone who is middle class and/or university-educated. That’s not to say they’re automatically wrong, but I have got the feeling that some of them have quite traditional ideals about photography, or themselves maybe see elements of his colour photography as in some way vulgar.
It’s objectively true that as a middle class man he became quite famous documenting working class people, so maybe there’s a comparison to the criticism of, say, Jennie Livingston after Paris is Burning, or many others I’m sure, but I didn’t get the sense that he was voyeuristic or exploiting anybody, but that he had quite a deep respect for the subjects and felt it vital to document them.
I’d argue that his earlier black and white photography, which covers a broader range of subjects, is probably his best work.
Totally fair!
I came across him when he published photographs he’d taken in the pit at a New Model Army show, and I know everybody in that scene was proud of the photos and didn’t feel at all patronised or condescended to. Personally love the idea of taking the sweaty energy and and sparring of a loud rock show and putting it in a gallery.
Yes this. That’s the distinction for me too and a good way to put it.