Don't miss the Martin Parr exhibitions at the Baltic Gateshead - on until Jan 17th 2010
source - artnews
I have visited the Martin Parr exhibitions at the Baltic, Gateshead twice - and am still trying to work out what the feeling is that his work gives me.
The new exhibition is called Luxury - and includes the above shot and a whole range of others of the rich indulging in different parts of the world. Could he (should he) also re-present the noveau-poor and make it as hard-hitting as Bill Brandt's views of the upper and lower classes? Or is his gently-satirical and affectionate voice too accepting of the foibles of all classes?
The Parrworld exhibition is just plain interesting - on many counts. His collections enrich the way we receive his work - we get better idea about the mind that selects this shot, and that and that.
The collection of his photo-books (on which he is an expert and has published) is a fine display. The one that got me most was the beautiful inscription from Cartier-Bresson. It was also great to see prints from world masters and from fine North-East photographers.
But I don't think you can really get into the man, or let him into your sensibility without including his films Martin Parr's Moving Pictures especially Part One: Modern Times - Think of England. Modern Times - think of England shows his sympathy and a kind, gentle inquiry voice as the camera records the food,and holidays, and recreation of (mainly) the English. It's not a pretty picture - it is not pastoral or elegiac, or sanitized. The racism is there along with the disgusting food. But above all there is bemusement and acceptance - and not, as with Louis Theroux, with a sense of superiority. I don't suppose for one moment that Parr shares the values embedded in most of what he photographs or films but Parr is accepting of the diversity of people - and he enables us to look without our habitual judgementalism - or at least provides a space in which to look before we make judgement. The photographs are a re-arrangement of elements that hold back judgment.
Perhaps Parr's work is primarily for the English/British - the pictures and films are certainly not flattering. Like the weather that keeps imposing itself a certain cussedness and a tinge of stupidity are in the mix. I can't believe that the work on file is a first choice for the UK Tourist Boards. An interesting comparison is to be made to compare the images and film put out by the Tourist Boards and the work of Parr - or of Calum Colvin.
I am starting to focus the feeling - and some of its main elements are;
A satire that is more kind than vicious - though it is unflinching about the mores of his subjects.
For me - a fellow-Englander and a fellow Brit seeking unblinkingly the Englishness of the English (and the Britishness of the British? Perhaps he or someone else should pay comparable attention to the other parts of the UK. See for example the work of Calum Colvin, starting with the 'Ossian'.)
A document-provider and celebrator of 'low' culture.
A celebrator of foibles - gentle and satirical.
Photographs that seem like snap-shots writ large.
Photographs that make us look and see - before we judge and 'en-box'.
His work is historical, but largely nostalgia-free.
Martin Parr holds up a pretty straight mirror - and he frames his work in a largely kind and accepting way.
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