This is another post for the photo nerds out there…
It genuinely is a privilege to be able to visit the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol and meet the great man himself. He’s something of a hero of ours - one who’s portfolio of work I, Woz, didn’t really ‘get’ at first. His photographs break all the rules and sometimes appear to be quite harsh in their commentary on people and life in general.
However, having spent more time with the images and gotten to know the man himself, I realise that he loves his subjects and his images are full of amazing humour. The rules he breaks in composition are there to be broken - I can spot a Parr (or Parr inspired!) image a mile away!
If you join the Foundation, you can visit and be shown around by Parr himself. Membership is actually a very modest price and if you are near enough to Bristol to take advantage of the talks and facilities it’s really a bargain!
Parr is now focussing on collecting and promoting British photographers and he’s really working hard to make the foundation quite something - the quantity of rare books, prints and ephemera is really quite astonishing. He also finds new photographers and very generously promotes their work. Quite a guy! During our visit, he even jokingly asked to be a second shooter on one of our weddings! Imagine that - we show up with probably the most famous British Magnum Photographers alive! Maybe one day!
We couldn’t resist buying some books while there - a couple which Parr signed for us and a book by a new British artist called Rene Magic called “Flags for countries that don’t exist but bodies that do”.
Here’s a few iPhone snaps from the visit. In the second shot he’s showing us David Bailey’s Box of Pinups - signed and original…worth many thousands of pounds and I’m well jealous!!
