Magnum

No, not the ice cream but only the crème de la crème of photographers get to become a part of the Magnum agency. Now, recently one of my lectures was hosted by a photographer Donovan Wylie who stated that Magnum was not the be all and end all. If I were an actress my goal would be Hollywood. If I were an athlete I'd aim for the Olympics. So why shouldn't I aim or at least highly admire and appreciate an agency that has brushed shoulders with some of the most awe inspiring photographers of our time? Incidentally Wylie is a member of Magnum. Now then, the reason I wanted to start this blog is to talk about one of my favourite photographers Martin Parr. A couple of years ago he came to my college to do a talk about his work which was amazing since our college was a bit low key and here was Martin Parr turning up at Tanshelf station. I think my teacher had an aneurysm (metaphorically). I had researched him and used him in my sketchbooks before the talk but actually hearing it from the horse's mouth really gave me a better insight in what all his work was about. 

Parr is a street photographer, documenting day-to-day lives of ordinary people. He also ranged his subject to the middle and upper classes, people abroad and many other quirks of society. His images are very distinct because of the high saturation and beautifully vibrant colours caught sometimes using a ring flash on his camera. During the 1980's and the height of Thatcherism, times were rough and her dictatorship hit the lower working classes the most. Parr did a series of work illustrating this to the world and the effects our leader had on the people who had worked the hardest.

The Last Resort, New Brighton 1983-1985

Because the working classes were tight on money, they would holiday not abroad but with what they already had. And they weren't picky as shown particularly in the first image because they weren't as materialistic as the upper classes. They wanted a break and a holiday on their doorstep was cheaper and easier than going somewhere exotic. Parr demonstrated to the world and particularly the government the knock on effect that the ruling class had on people. As I wasn't born to see the immediate effects of when these events happened I have a different almost outsiders view on it. I have second hand information and evidence but the presence of the mistakes made still linger on into the society of today. Everywhere you go there are reminders of our history with the mines but they are only traces, like negative space in our heritage that is remembered but disregarded. I like hearing about the mining era and respect that time immensely. Its harrowing and disturbing to think of the control our leaders have and now it seems like deja vu with the lopsided marriage that is our government. Photographers like Martin Parr are here as demonstrators and aren't here to glorify the world, but convey it. At the time this series of work was seen as an insult, a mockery. But he was merely trying to warn the world of its mistakes. Decisions are made with great intentions but the makers don't have to live with consequences, they can hide out in their third mansion in the Cotswolds and forget how they sold out innocent people's lively hood. I feel strongly with issues like these not just from our past but the present which I will address in future blogs. Until next time...