Life’s a Beach. Martin Parr

Life’s a Beach. Martin Parr (United Kingdom).

Photographs by Martin ParrDesigned by Xavier Barral

Copublished by Aperture Foundation and Xavier Barral, Fall 2012. Limited edition of 1,000 copies, signed and numbered. 

[Purchase: Aperture Foundation, Xavier Barral] 

Martin Parr: an important figure in contemporary photography and a researcher / collector (The Photobook: A History) who have done more than anyone else to promote the photobook. Martin Parr-photographer is know for his social documentary photography, brilliant satire, vivid colours and close-ups (just to name few). Parr published over 30 photobooks, taking active role in their design and production. Life’s a Beach is the latest photobook by Martin Parr and it is curious to follow his photobook thinking. 

Martin Parr was always fascinated by the beach and it was the central subject in Parr’s photography since his early carrier. “American photographers may have may have given birth to Street photography; but in the UK we have we have the beach”. He documented beaches in different corners of the world, and the book depict beach-goers in Argentina, Brazil, China, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Thailand, and of course, the UK. To some extent, a beach is a mirror of our culture: it is a “rare public space in which all absurdities and quirky national behaviours can be found”. From people drinking yerba mate in Uruguay, barbecuing fish in Chile to beach-goers eating ice-cream and reading Sun newspaper in England. 

The book is beautifully put together: a collaboration between French designer and American publisher. It reminds an old fashioned family album, a perfect format for beach photographs. The images are inserted by hand in die-cut slots (on a slightly rippled cotton type of paper), and divided by tissue paper. The photographs are printed on a nice paper and if you turn it around it says “This picture was taken by Martin Parr” (a lovely touch). The book is bound in the Japanese style. All copies are signed and numbered.

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