From Benidorm sunbathers to British birdwatchers, for nearly 70 years the photographer has captured the magic of the mundane. What drew him to his subjects – and what do they tell us about a changing world?
If you saw Martin Parr and didn’t know who he was, you would barely notice him. He is Mr Invisible and Mr Normal rolled into one, in his sensible jumper – probably from Marks & Spencer – and sensible socks and sandals. He has a neat side parting and neatly cut hair. He has a mild and conventional manner and a mild and conventional appearance. There is something of the naff birdwatcher about him. But do not be fooled. This is the disguise of a man who is seeing far more than most of us ever see, and he’s hiding in plain sight. He is a genius who has changed photography, one of the great artists of our time.
So who is Martin Parr? And what would he say if we listened? His life is, in many ways, an everyman’s life: he’s born into a family of mixed characters and classes; he has a devoted grandparent; he is undistinguished at school – perhaps not having the happiest of childhoods; he’s a silly boy; he goes to college; mucks around, tries new things, gets a girlfriend, has some holiday jobs. He enters adulthood in an inauspicious way, works hard, sees something of the world; gets married, becomes a father, builds up his career, travels; has conflict, success, illness, recovery; becomes a grandfather, gains wisdom and respect. An ordinary life that follows an ordinary arc.
