Fotografiska Shanghai will host the first solo exhibition in China by legendary British photographer Martin Parr. Featuring nearly 400 works spanning over 50 years of Parr’s career, the exhibition showcases 11 of his most significant series, offering a comprehensive retrospective of his sharp-witted, satirical, and incisive approach to documenting social realities. More than just a visual journey, Short & Sweet, invites audiences to reflect on the transformations of contemporary society and the evolving symbols of culture.
Iconic Series Presented in Shanghai for the First Time
The exhibition highlights three of Parr’s most celebrated series, The Non-Conformists, Bad Weather, and The Last Resort, marking their first in-depth presentation in Shanghai. The Non-Conformists captures the fading traditional communities of Northern England, offering a poignant reflection on industrialization’s impact on daily life. Bad Weather draws on the British obsession of talking about weather, the series captures everyday moments of people facing typical bad weather conditions, ironically subverting the traditional rules of taking photographs in good light and weather. . The Last Resort presents exaggerated, vibrant scenes of seaside holiday resorts, revealing the chaos and absurdity of leisure culture through bold color contrasts and theatrical compositions.
These series exemplify Parr’s unique photographic language—where irony and humor turn everyday moments into surreal reflections of society.
A Deep Observation on Globalization and Consumerism
This exhibition also highlights Parr’s critique of globalization and consumer culture, featuring some of his most influential series. Small World explores the impact of globalization on tourism, exposing the tension between cultural homogenization and local identity. Common Sense presents extreme close-ups of consumer goods, offering a satirical take on the excesses of consumer society. The Institutions turns the camera on power structures and their symbolic imagery, analyzing the deeper logic of social operations. Life’s a Beach humorously dissects global beach culture, using sharp visual storytelling to reflect on social behavior.
China Through Martin Parr’s Lens
A special section of the exhibition is dedicated to Parr’s photographs of China, showcasing his perspective on the country’s social landscape and its dynamic transformations. These works not only document China’s evolving society but also demonstrate Parr’s keen ability to capture the complexities of cultural identity and modernization.
To further enrich the audience experience, Fotografiska Shanghai will host a series of talks and interactive events throughout the exhibition, offering deeper insights into Martin Parr’s photographic style and the sociological themes embedded in his works.
Through Short & Sweet, audiences will step into Martin Parr’s world of irony and sharp social observation, discovering how his lens captures the humor, contradictions, and absurdities of contemporary life.
