Legendary British street and documentary photographer Martin Parr passes away
Martin Parr, the British documentary photographer known for his sharp eye, saturated colour and wry take on everyday life, died on 6 December at his home in Bristol. He was 73.
Born in Surrey, Parr discovered photography as a teenager and went on to study at Manchester Polytechnic.
His breakthrough came with the 1986 series The Last Resort, a vivid and often confronting portrait of seaside holiday-makers that helped reshape modern documentary photography.
"The fundamental thing I'm exploring constantly is the difference between the mythology of the place and the reality of it," he said in his book Parr on Parr. "Remember I make serious photographs disguised as entertainment. That's part of my mantra. I make the pictures acceptable to find the audience but deep down there is actually a lot going on that's not sharply written in your face. If you want to read it you can read it."
Martin Parr's work with photobooks is arguably as significant to the medium as his photography itself, encompassing both a prolific publishing career and a monumental role as a collector and historian.
He has published over 100 books of his own work and edited another 30 throughout his lifetime. The photobook was, in his words, the 'supreme platform' for sharing his images with a mass audience.
Parr was regularly exhibited in Australian galleries, including at Bondi Pavillion in 2015, and his bright, satirical take on beach culture resonated strongly with Australian sensibilities.
At the same time, he also photographed in Australia several times, producing work that explored everything from our own beach rituals to the peculiarities of tourism and national identity.
His work was also a strong influence on many Australian street and documentary photographers.
Parr joined Magnum Photos in 1994 and later served as the agency’s president.
In 2014 he founded the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol to support and preserve British and Irish photography.
He had revealed in a recent video interview that he had cancer. Following his diagnosis, Parr curated a virtual photography exhibition for Zurich Insurance called 'Living Every Moment'. The campaign aimed to raise awareness for early cancer screening and featured images of everyday moments that mattered to people diagnosed with cancer, highlighting life's precious moments through their eyes.
Parr is survived by his wife Susie, their daughter Ellen, his sister Vivien and his grandson George.
You can read an intriguing 2021 interview with Parr on Australian Photography Magazine, or visit his website here.
Or watch this video on the history of photobooks with Martin Parr and co author Gerry Badger in conversation with Simon Baker, Curator of photography and international art at Tate, and Hannah Watson of Trolley Books.