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Last Resort: Photographs of New Brighton
The book that changed the course of British photography.
When Martin Parr's 'The Last Resort' was first published and exhibited in 1986 it divided both critics and audiences alike. Some saw it as the finest achievement to date of colour photography in Britain whilst others viewed it as an aberration . With the benefit of hindsight there is little doubt that it transformed documentary photography in Britain and placed Parr amongst the world s leading photographers. The book is now recognised as a classic and is highly sought by collectors worldwide. Steering a perilous course between objectivity and voyeurism, Parr viewed the decaying holiday resort of New Brighton and its holidaymakers in a way that was new, unique and deeply disturbing. And he did so in colour, something which at the time was seen as revolutionary for documentary work. For some his camera seemed cold and cruel as it followed the working classes desperately pursuing their holiday dreams surrounded by dereliction and decay and wading through the apparently endless detritus of a pollution-ridden consumer society. Others felt it showed an affectionate, humorous and humanistic response from Parr. However it was viewed, it was undoubtedly a sharp, bitter satire of the Britain of the Thatcher years.
When Martin Parr's 'The Last Resort' was first published and exhibited in 1986 it divided both critics and audiences alike. Some saw it as the finest achievement to date of colour photography in Britain whilst others viewed it as an aberration . With the benefit of hindsight there is little doubt that it transformed documentary photography in Britain and placed Parr amongst the world s leading photographers. The book is now recognised as a classic and is highly sought by collectors worldwide. Steering a perilous course between objectivity and voyeurism, Parr viewed the decaying holiday resort of New Brighton and its holidaymakers in a way that was new, unique and deeply disturbing. And he did so in colour, something which at the time was seen as revolutionary for documentary work. For some his camera seemed cold and cruel as it followed the working classes desperately pursuing their holiday dreams surrounded by dereliction and decay and wading through the apparently endless detritus of a pollution-ridden consumer society. Others felt it showed an affectionate, humorous and humanistic response from Parr. However it was viewed, it was undoubtedly a sharp, bitter satire of the Britain of the Thatcher years.
88 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
156 people want to read
About the author
Martin Parr
195 books64 followersMartin Parr was born in Epsom, Surrey, UK in 1952. When he was a boy, his budding interest in the medium of photography was encouraged by his grandfather George Parr, himself a keen amateur photographer.
Parr studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic, from 1970-1973. Since that time, Martin Parr has worked on numerous photographic projects. He has developed an international reputation for his innovative imagery, his oblique approach to social documentary, and his input to photographic culture within the UK and abroad.
In 1994 he became a full member of Magnum Photographic Corporation. In recent years, he has developed an interest in filmmaking, and has started to use his photography within different conventions, such as fashion and advertising.
In 2002 the Barbican Art Gallery and the National Media Museum initiated a large retrospective of Parr's work. This show toured Europe for the next 5 years.
Parr was appointed Professor of Photography in 2004 at The University of Wales Newport campus. He was Guest Artistic Director for Rencontres D'Arles in 2004. In 2006 he was awarded the Erich Salomon Prize and the resulting Assorted Cocktail show opened at Photokina. In 2008 he was guest curator at the New York Photo Festival, curating the New Typologies exhibition. At PhotoEspana, 2008, he won the Baume et Mercier award in recognition of his professional career and contributions to contemporary photography.
Parr studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic, from 1970-1973. Since that time, Martin Parr has worked on numerous photographic projects. He has developed an international reputation for his innovative imagery, his oblique approach to social documentary, and his input to photographic culture within the UK and abroad.
In 1994 he became a full member of Magnum Photographic Corporation. In recent years, he has developed an interest in filmmaking, and has started to use his photography within different conventions, such as fashion and advertising.
In 2002 the Barbican Art Gallery and the National Media Museum initiated a large retrospective of Parr's work. This show toured Europe for the next 5 years.
Parr was appointed Professor of Photography in 2004 at The University of Wales Newport campus. He was Guest Artistic Director for Rencontres D'Arles in 2004. In 2006 he was awarded the Erich Salomon Prize and the resulting Assorted Cocktail show opened at Photokina. In 2008 he was guest curator at the New York Photo Festival, curating the New Typologies exhibition. At PhotoEspana, 2008, he won the Baume et Mercier award in recognition of his professional career and contributions to contemporary photography.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 22, 2021
i mean, it’s a classic for my analog tourist camera ass. i really liked the layouts with both pictures side by side, and the colours... and also just the vibe, pre covid 19, with the 80s hairdos and all the crowds... and the summer. so foreign here now in sweden
March 8, 2023
Don’t mind me just trying to get an Alevel
January 10, 2023
Caposaldo riconosciuto della fotografia a colori britannica ed europea, un must per ogni appassionato. Il testo di Badger è interessante ma mi lascia col dubbio che lo sguardo di Parr sia effettivamente empatico al 100% coi soggetti: siamo sicuri che le scene ritratte non siano in buona parte associabili al degrado? Io non riesco a togliermi questa impressione dalla testa.
August 15, 2023
Best book of Martin without no doubts
January 2, 2023
A humorous series of photographs that left me with latent, opaque, discomfort. I did appreciate the ambient lens into the English working class, though I wouldn’t say I enjoyed this offering.
August 17, 2019
"At the time I really liked that sort of ultra-saturated palette. I'm creating fiction out of reality, so in a sense it helps to distance the reality from the photos. Even now I still often use the combination of a wide-angle lens and a ring flash. For me, it's not so much a technical thing, it's more an aesthetic thing."
March 1, 2015
what comes to my mind after closing this book : "lots of trash, sunburned kids and vintage hairstyles".
August 28, 2012
mesmerizing, disturbing, and irrevocably in my photo DNA now.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews