Martin Parr & British New Wave Colour Photography

1. Martin Parr & British New Wave Colour Photography Jodie, Rebecca, Lewis, Kotryna

2. Martin Parr

3. Who is Martin Parr? • Born 24 May 1952, Parr is a British documentary photographer, photojournalist and filmmaker. • Studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic and began pursuing it professionally from the 1970s. • He is known for projects that critique aspects of everyday modern life, particularly suburban, provincial life in England. • He is a member of Magnum photos, an exclusive collective of the most revered photographers in the world.

4. Martin Parr’s Work • Started out in black and white photography in the mid-1970s, he switched to colour in 1984, the first notable result was ‘Last Resort: Photographs of New Brighton’. • His work is often described as intimate, anthropological and satirical and is heavily inspired by the photographer Weegee. • He often places his subjects under the microscope, exposing their lives and values in ways often involve inadvertent humour. (See: Sign of the Times: A Portrait of the Nation’s Tastes ’92).

5. Martin Parr, New Brighton (1986)

6. Martin Parr, New Brighton (1986)

7. Martin Parr, New Brighton (1986)

8. Martin Parr, New Brighton (1986)

9. Implications OF HIS WORK • Parr addresses themes of consumerism, mass tourism and globalisation with a distinctive wit and sense of irony. • The gaudy and sometimes grotesque imagery of these works seemed to reflect the spirit of Thatcher’s Britain, while echoing the tradition of tacky seaside postcards. • In ‘Common Sense’ (‘95), he uses bright colours and exaggerated close-ups to explore the excesses of contemporary capitalism. • Motifs such as hats, hats, hands , food and dogs are repeated throughout, creating a snatched catalogue or our all too familiar shortcomings.

10. Martin Parr, Liverpool (1983)

11. Anna Fox • Part of British New Wave Photography that appeared in the 1980s • Like Parr she observed the bizarre in the everyday • The Village-she tried to expose the reality behind the ‘picture perfect’ rural Britain • Her photos are at many times grotesque and unflattering with a satirical feeling (such as Hampshire Pram Race 2006) ‘Fox's work…also has an oblique, gothic sensibility that reveals the darkness in apparently ordinary situations.’ – Tina Jackson (Metro)

12. Hampshire Pram Race 2006

13. Hampshire Pram Race 2006 • Photo resembles Diane Arbus’ ‘Identicle Twins’ 1967 in the reading ‘How do we read a photograph’ which implies the concern with identity and difference- however the colour used by fox is vivid to emphasize the abnormality in the so- called normal situations. • Parr differs in this way as his work takes on a humorous and mocking tone but remains light-hearted in his mocking yet appreciation of British culture

14. 'Colour is so immediate…It's more aggressive. It's like, it's today, and not romantic or nostalgic – Anna Fox • London offices in Work Stations (1986/88)

15. Paul Graham From ‘New Europe’ (1986)

16. From ‘Beyond Caring’ (1984-85)

17. Conclusion • These photographers all used colour documentary to successfully highlight either humour and abnormality in supposedly mundane situations in British life • Do you think that colour lessens the critique of British culture so as to remain satirical rather than merely accusatory? • Do their intentions come across in their work?