Short & Sweet: the contradictory world as seen by photographer Martin Parr

From February 10 to June 30, 2024, photographer Martin Parr ’s exhibition entitled Short & Sweet is on view. The exhibition is curated by Martin Parr himself, set up at the spaces of MUDEC Photo in Milan, promoted by the City of Milan-Cultura and produced by 24 ORE Cultura - 24 ORE Group.

The exhibition features more than 60 photographs in a series of images captured between 1975 and 1980, along with the installation Common Sense, a selection of more than 200 A3 photographs that offer a close study of mass consumption and waste culture. Before coming to the better-known color series, the exhibition continues with the black-and-white project, Bad Weather, made in the late 1970s and early 1980s and published in 1982 focusing on a British obsession: weather. The tour ends with a previously unpublished interview by photography historian and critic Roberta Valtorta, who traces the photographer’s career. Through an edgy photographic chronicle, Martin Parr documents contemporary Western society that highlights its most contradictory folds. Over the course of his career, the photographer has developed a wide range of projects: With The Non Conformists created between 1975-1980, Parr documents life in the Yorkshire suburbs, highlighting the independent character of northern England in relation to state culture. The Last Resort between 1982-1985, on the other hand, portrays the working class vacationing in Brighton, showing the end of the working-class world and the advent of a consumerist society. He continues Small World, 1989-2008, which explores mass tourism and the discrepancy between the mythology of place and the reality despoiled by tourist use. In Everybody Dance Now, 1986-2018, he documents various forms of dance around the world, conveying an overwhelming and carefree energy. In Establishment (2010-2016), the artist portrays the British establishment and its social conventions, highlighting traditions and stereotypes. Finally, the 2013 series Life’s a Beach and Fashion, 1999-2019, explore beach culture and the world of fashion, respectively, always with a keen eye on people and their expressions.

Through a journey within the best-known projects, the unprecedented documentary style that has characterized Martin Parr’s language for more than 50 years becomes a litmus test for observing contemporary society and its most contradictory folds. Parr’s images capture comic or unexpected moments, offering a critical but also entertaining look at the everyday lives of us all.

The exhibition catalog is published by 24 ORE Cultura and is available at the exhibition bookshop, in bookstores and online. Regular Hours: Monday 2:30-7:30 p.m.; Tuesday-Wednesday-Friday-Sunday 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Admission: Full €12.00; Reduced €10.00

Martin Parr,

Short & Sweet: the contradictory world as seen by photographer Martin Parr

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.