Martin Parr is a contemporary British photographer born in 1952 in Epsom, England. Best known for chronicling life in provincial England, his unconventional observations of human behavior serve as a mirror to reflect society's values. Parr explores themes of consumerism, globalization, and social stratification in a humorous yet visually seductive style exemplified in his photobook The Last Resort. He studied photography in Manchester and joined the collective Magnum Photos, producing numerous series and books and currently lives and works in London.

2. Martin Parr
Born: 1952
Roles: Photographer
Nationality: English
Born: Epsom, England
Martin Parr is a contemporary British photographer. Best known as a chronicler of life in provincial
England, his unconventional observation of human behaviors serves as a mirror to reflect society’s
values. Exploring themes of consumerism, globalization, and social stratification, Parr’s humorous
yet visually seductive take on life is exemplified in his photobook The Last Resort (1986). “Unless it
hurts, unless there's some vulnerability there, I don't think you're going to get good photographs,” he
has said. Born on May 23, 1952 in Epsom, United Kingdom, he studied photography at Manchester
Polytechnic from 1970 until 1973. Parr switched from black-and-white to color photography in 1984,
joining peers such as Paul Graham. He went on to produce a number of series including Life’s a
Beach (1986), and became a member of the revered collective Magnum Photos in 1988. Along with
his numerous photobooks, the artist has also pursued filmmaking and fashion editorial work. He
currently lives and works in London, United Kingdom. Today, Parr’s works are held in the collections
of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Irish
Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, among others.
Biography courtesy of art.net