Martin Parr: Work and Leisure

Firstsite is currently presenting the largest Martin Parr exhibition in the UK since 2002 coming direct from The Hepworth Wakefield and tailored especially for Firstsite with additional content including Martin Parr’s own extraordinary personal collection of postcards. Martin Parr: Work and Leisure comprises more than 300 photographs that span the past 40 years, presenting a chronological overview of Parr’s most celebrated works.

From his early Yorkshire-based black and white photographs of rural communities through to his more recent vivid explorations into consumerism, this exhibition includes rarely seen images from his series The Non-Conformists taken at the beginning of his career reflecting his experiences of living in Yorkshire, and The Last Resort, one of the most significant bodies of British photography, documenting leisure time in the seaside town of New Brighton, as well as a universal shift from monochrome to colour photography.

In addition to this Hepworth Wakefield touring exhibition, Parr has also, in 2016, exhibited at the Guildhall Art Gallery and curated an exhibition at the Barbican. 

Unseen City: Photos by Martin Parr at the Guildhall Art Gallery celebrated Parr's tenure as the City of London’s photographer-in-residence, a position he took up in 2013. He has documented life in the City ever since – from private ceremonies, processions and banquets to high-profile public occasions. Granted unprecedented access to these events, he has been able to capture moments that would usually go 'unseen'; on display in the exhibition were behind-the-scenes shots of unguarded moments featuring Lord Mayors, dignitaries and even the Queen. His photographs provided a unique visual account of contemporary London.

For Strange and Familiar at the Barbican, Parr brought together over 250 compelling photographs and previously unseen bodies of work, in order to present a vibrant portrait of modern Britain. From social documentary and portraiture to street and architectural photography, the exhibition celebrated the work of leading photographers, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Rineke Dijkstra, Robert Frank and Garry Winogrand, and considered how international photographers from the 1930s onwards captured the social, cultural and political identity of the UK.

Martin Parr has been described as 'arguably Britain’s greatest living photographer.' These exhibitions make that argument.

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Duke Special - Step To The Magical.   

Unseen City: Martin Parr - Guildhall Art Gallery

From 4 March, at the Guildhall Art Gallery, the City of London can be viewed through the lens of acclaimed Magnum photographer Martin Parr. Explore the pomp, ceremony and behind-the-scenes activity as in Unseen City Parr brings the City to life, capturing the traditions and people who make up the colourful Square Mile.

Martin Parr has been the City of London's photographer-in-residence since 2013. Over the years, he has documented the life of the City, across three mayoralties. During this time, Parr has been granted unprecedented access to high-profile occasions where guests have included Her Majesty The Queen and dignitaries. The resulting images offer a new perspective on the City of London and create a significant documentary record of its colour and character for years to come.

Through Parr's playful eye for detail and visual dynamism, visitors will gain access to the world of private ceremonies, ancient and modern traditions, processions, banquets, public occasions and informal behind-the-scenes shots. Parr offers a human perspective on ceremony and those moments unseen to the general public, capturing the unguarded moments that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Whether the public are familiar or unfamiliar with the City of London, this exhibition will display the unique character of the traditions, quirks and people who make up the City. This exhibition provides the opportunity to see how the City operates, up close and personal; sparking debate, dispelling myths and sharing surprising insights.

Parr’s work also appears in Strange And Familiar: Britain As Revealed By International Photographers at the Barbican Art Gallery, London EC2, from 16 March, and The Rhubarb Triangle & Other Stories at the Hepworth Wakefield until 12 June.

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Cajun Roosters Trio @ City of London Festival 2015.