Martin Parr's 'Brexit Britain'
He is likely the most famous portrait photographer in Great Britain: Martin Parr. In light of the Brexit process, the London National Portrait Gallery is showing a selection of his often humorous pictures.
After the battle
The legendary Magdalene May Ball is over, the battle on the dance floor a done deed. This man indulges in a cat nap — complete with pillows. Photographer Martin Parr shows the British simply as they are: in this case, deeply exhausted and in reverie.
British in Germany
The tattoo says "English and Proud" but this shot was taken in Germany. The small town of Bad Fallingbostel had a British army base up until 2015. Ahead of the withdrawal of the British forces from Germany, Martin Parr looked for traces of Britishness in and around Hanover in 2013.
From up above
Parr chose the bird's-eye view for this image of his British compatriots. His photograph shows British sun worshippers on the beach of Sorrento in Italy. The towels and clothing of the sunbathers lying close together provide a contrasting play of colors with the black sand.
Click, click, but no cheering
It's all a question of perspective: Here, professional photographer Martin Parr takes Queen Elizabeth II's point of view. It's an unusual one as what she sees in front of her is an excited group of people taking pictures, apparently held back only by the state car, yet nobody is cheering.
A dance of color
These Indian Bhangra dancers seem to dance as lightly as a feather through a room in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this image, too, Parr, who usually does not arrange his photos, relies on a play of colors between the actors and the calm background. Martin Parr, who was born in 1952, is one of the leading British documentary photographers.
So near, and yet so far away
Summer in Cornwall on the English coast: Children and adults stare at the sea, the waving red flag warning them to stay out of the strong currents in the cool water before them. With strong colors and faces turned away, Parr's photo captures a sense of danger in the beyond. His photos, he says, are particularly cherished outside Great Britain.
Dog and hat
Parr photographed this sun worshipper of mature age on a beach in France, giving it the subtle title, "Nice, France." The picture is typical of the Magnum Agency photographer and conveys one of his favorite themes: the aging human being. Parr himself is 66 years old. The photo exhibition entitled "Only Human: Martin Parr" is on show through May 27, 2019 at the National Portrait Gallery in London.