Martin Parr @ WEX

RaglanSurf

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For those that are interested Martin Parr is doing a live interview and Q&A hosted by the good people at WEX.

Personally I don’t think he’s done anything worthwhile since the Last Resort but I know a lot of people like his work.

 
@RaglanSurf - for me you can put the full stop after 'worthwhile'. :troll: A conceptual artist who happens to use cameras.
 
Am I missing when it is? Is it part of the Photography Show.
 
sirch said:
Am I missing when it is? Is it part of the Photography Show.
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It's on Youtube - click the link in the OP

(Why is this in the film section?)
 
dmb said:
@RaglanSurf - for me you can put the full stop after 'worthwhile'. :troll: A conceptual artist who happens to use cameras.
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Martin Parr is actually a much better photographer than many give him credit for, when you look behind the often eye-catching main subject. Take a look at 'The Non-conformists' and 'Abandoned Morris Minors of the West of Ireland' and you might see what I mean. People sometimes try to dismiss his photography as a novelty act, but I believe Martin Parr is one of the most important photographers of our time. At least his work says something, unlike yet another technically perfect, but done-to-death and boring as hell, landscape photo of bloody Glencoe! :sleep:
 
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View: https://youtu.be/plpGSy33zMo


At about 45 seconds he states what he believes is important in photography.

Seems that throughout the years I’ve binned
thousands of candid snapshots ( that’s all I see his work as tbh) from which I could have made similar ´fame´

I daren’t say more for fear of being offered an unwanted lengthy holiday !

I might add that I haven’t bothered watching the complete clip ........

first ( early) (un) impressions tend to stick!
 
I think he lived in Wallasey back in the day and he took photos in the North West. I do like looking at his street photos, as that is how I remember the streets, when I knocked about them.
 
Now, let me say this. Every 'artist' has their fans and detractors and both opinions are valid and neither really matter: so let's not go down this rabbit hole, if you like his work great if you don't then that's great too. Moving on, nothing to see here :)
 
Mr Badger said:
And how much of his work have you actually seen?



I rest my case. ;)
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First impressions count , thus I personally wish to see no more ( I did view some of his work prior to watching the video clip) ..... I too, rest my case ;)
 
Asha said:
At about 45 seconds he states what he believes is important in photography.
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And he's spot on. (y)

Regardless of the merits or otherwise of Parr's photographs (his early black and white film work is very much in the 'traditional' HCB stylee) he does a lot to encourage up and coming photographers and he's willing to give talks to camera clubs. Photography in all its manifestations interests him and he promotes it. When @Chipper announced on here he was speaking at Worcester I trekked along to see him. He's very approachable. I'm sure he'll have plenty of interesting things to say. Not that anyone has to agree with them.
 
Andysnap said:
Now, let me say this. Every 'artist' has their fans and detractors and both opinions are valid and neither really matter: so let's not go down this rabbit hole, if you like his work great if you don't then that's great too. Moving on, nothing to see here :)
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This lockdown malarkey is having an effect on everyone .....Can’t believe you’re trying to put a stop to us having our very own f&c trifle throwing contest.......I’ll save the largest for you Andy:p
 
I think this short video is worth watching. It explains some of Martin's early influences (Tony Ray-Jones, etc.) and gives a good insight into what his photography is about. One or two good tips on photography in general there too, that I think we should all remind ourselves of periodically. Some nice examples from Tony Ray-Jones' tragically short career in the first half, and of Martin Parr's work in the second half.

Now, not everyone likes documentary photography/photojournalism, just as some find a lot of landscape photography as dull as ditch water, but I think we could all learn by opening our minds to see beyond our own tastes and self-imposed horizons every now and then. So, regardless of personal tastes, I genuinely hope people will enjoy watching this. :)

View: https://youtu.be/9KA_qm7HWgo
 
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Asha said:
This lockdown malarkey is having an effect on everyone .....Can’t believe you’re trying to put a stop to us having our very own f&c trifle throwing contest.......I’ll save the largest for you Andy:p
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Well, I do like a trifle.... :cool:
 
H'mm well not sure what the argument is about but any OLD photos of people, scenes, buildings etc whether taken by pros or joe public are interesting to me.
 
I had a portfolio review last year and the photographer who was looking at my work said that one of my photographs reminded him of Parr before he became annoying. I always get a chuckle whenever I'm going over my website selections and I see it come up.

Personally I have mixed feelings toward him, I respect the work (Last Resort especially) and the platform he gives photographers but I also see some of the cruelness that critics have noted at the time. I think in the context of today they're pretty tame though, especially once you take into account social media.
 
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FruitFlakes said:
Personally I have mixed feelings toward him, I respect the work (Last Resort especially) and the platform he gives photographers but I also see some of the cruelness that critics have noted at the time. I think in the context of today they're pretty tame though, especially once you take into account social media.
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I seem to recall that the comments alleging 'cruelness' in respect of The Last Resort came when the photos were exhibited in London. Prior to that, the photos had been exhibited in Merseyside and the people there did not see anything wrong with them, as the photos captured New Brighton and its holiday makers just as they were in those days. The locals understood that it was an accurate documentary portrayal of the people, place and time. Today, amongst other things, I think this work stands as important evidence of the extent of the social divide which existed in early 1980s Britain.
 
srichards said:
I like the visual humour in a lot of his work.
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It's certainly inspired me to develop an eye for that when out and about, spotting those quirky little eccentricities in life. Apologies for a digital photo in the F&C section!

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