In the Luxury Series and the Fashion Series Martin Parr shifts his focus compared to his other work. Instead of slices of everyday life, Parr has now a keen eye for the luxury of the jet set: people who are comfortable showing off their wealth on various locations: a race meeting in Dubai, the Melbourne cup in Australia, a car show in Beijing and various prestigious international art fairs such as the 2008 Frieze Art Fair in London.
By shifting from the poor and middle class people to the rich, Parr proves to be a tremendous polarizer. He is one of the few photographers who are able to develop an oeuvre depicting a colourful panoramic view of society: from the unappealing mass consumers, the curious rituals of the middle class to the eccentric customs of the super-rich. Striking in Parr’s work is its underlying humor. Parr’s photographs show contemporary social transactions with a certain ironic and critical eye for social events. This can be illustrated well in older pictures such as a seaside cafe where a crowd of women screams for hot dogs or camera-laden tourists invading tourists sites. With his incredibly perceptive eye, he has developed his passion for recording everyday events. Bittersweet irony and an eye for social nuances is a trait he shares with other British artists.
Currently a retrospective exhibition of Martin Parrs photo books is on show at the Rocket Gallery in London. It will run until 30 January 2010.
Photos: Martin Parr | Fashion and Luxury