Fiona Quadri22nd October 20181493 Words

Tate Modern Essay

Martin Parr “Common Sense” “Common Sense” is a portfolio of 350 colour laser copies of photographs taken between 1995 and 1999 by Martin Parr. The British documentary photographer, photojournalist and collector, born in 1952 in Surrey, UK, is known for his outstanding photographs of contemporary society. The photographer takes a critical look on modern life through the objective of his camera, by pushing his subjects "under the microscope". In the following, we will analyse the ninth copy in the series of his portfolio “Common Sense”, which is exhibited in the sector “Media Networks” in the Tate Modern (Natalie Bell Building Level 4 east) from 2017 – 4th November 2018 in London.

“Common Sense” (1995-1999)

In the portfolio “Common Sense” Martin Parr confronts and amuses us in a playful way. The photographer explores social classes, leisure and consumer culture, underlining the aspect of excessive consumerism and consumption. The images that are designed to be displayed in a horizontal grid of at least three images by four, do not necessitate to be exhibited all at the same time. Seeing them as a grid grabs the viewer’s attention, as it looks busy and entertaining. Furthermore, the message Martin Parr wants to transmit cannot be conveyed to the spectator with an isolated image. It requires several prints, as each individual picture shares a specific aspect of our cultural peculiarities and the choices we make. This multiplies the effect and creates a narrative.

“Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work.”, Parr states. Martin Parr uses photography because it is the best way to question society, as it consists of taking pictures of the reality. If the photographer used a more traditional media such as painting, he would capture fewer situations, as it would take him longer to complete a work. Moreover, the photographer gives the situation meaning by photographing it. Through photography you start looking at the situation from a different perspective. What might seem normal on the street becomes questionable when captured and printed. It is as if we looked at it under the microscope. Furthermore, the usage of the 35mm ultra saturated film which produces vivid, heightened colour, the macro lenses and shock values can be compared to the tactics of advertisement. They drag you into the image and they make you want to analyse it more closely. Nevertheless, “Most of the photographs I take are bad, these are just the few that are good.”, states the photographer in his interview with the guardian. We should never forget that the most exciting feature about picture taking is that you have the chance to take a lot of shots. Notwithstanding, only some of them will be successful shots.

The picture of the “Blue Lady” (on the right) was taken in 1998 during Martin Parr’s visit to Benidorm. He perceived indignity and mockery with the image. The blue lady shows how tourists are laying in the sun tanning which is cancerous and shows no autonomy. We as humans do things because it is what everyone does. The blue shades can metaphorically be seen as a blind that humans wear. We do not think enough, numbing ourselves with our desires. “It’s a no-brainer! The beach is where you can be yourself and you get lots of people who haven’t got many clothes on and it’s interesting and there are all kinds of habits going on,” says Parr.

(A Dog in sunglasses)

(English Breakfast)

(Lady with a disposable camera) (Child eating a sugary donut)

By presenting everyday life in the mid to late 90s, Martin Parr photographs variously bizarre and inconsequential things that altogether feel rather important like a dog in sunglasses; basic English breakfast; a lady with a disposable camera; child eating a doughnut and other random images.

In our capitalist society where we are constantly concerned with ourselves, it is important to stop and question our behaviour. The problem that arises and that Martin Parr confronts in all his works is that we tend to forget rational thinking. We forget what the right thing is and instead opt for what we desire. The philosopher Plato who stood against democracies would argue that we are sheep following one another. Martin Parr holds up a mirror to our everyday life in his work “Common Sense”, as the pictures can be compared to our own daily habits.

(Female hand with cigarette 1998) (Tourist women taking a photograph)

We numb ourselves by smoking and we feel progressive by taking pictures on trips forgetting that we are here to see the world with our real eyes, not the camera lens.

The work “Common Sense” can be linked to Parr’s book “Small World” which was first published in 1996. It is a biting, very funny satire in which Parr looks at tourism worldwide, exposing the increasing homogeneity of ‘global culture’. Through observing people, Martin Parr concludes that cultures are destroyed, as globalisation eradicates unique and personal aspects of traditions. We are, as tourists, bemused victims, as we are locked into our insatiable craving for spectacle.Tourists taking pictures of

“Mona Lisa” in the Louvre, Paris (Small

World)

The curator chose this artwork because it is important to reveal to society what society is doing: what we buy, wear and eat, and where we go on holiday. ‘My job,’ Parr claims, ‘is to exaggerate reality.’ The resulting images are at once seductive and grotesque, familiar and strange. It is important to show the world what we are doing.

I chose this artwork because it makes me reflect and critic our way of life in the 21st century. The piece of art gives me the impression that we are too concerned with buying and feeling free as we can purchase whatever

we desire. “Common Sense” becomes a symbol of western society’s prosperous freedoms, declaring their power and their rights to travel, to choose and to consume. The thought that in a communist society we do not have the legitimate right to be free is promoted in our Western culture, but could it be that in a capitalist society we are as limited as in communism? We live in a democracy meaning we have the choice to vote and to express our free will, but if we look at Martin Parr’s work, we realise that we are all the same. Also, capitalism pushed us into a certain category over the years, so that we stopped question our behaviour. We are not free, but we feel free because we choose what society wants us to choose anyways.

Wherever and whenever I go somewhere I like to take pictures or videos of people without them noticing me. Especially busy public spaces like the Underground, airports, or train stations like St. Pancreas International in London allure me. While standing behind the camera I feel free and different as if I was a pure, invisible observer. My last big work “Human Diversity”, which won an Austrian and a Belgium film award, was created by observing people. It links to Martin Parr’s work, as he takes pictures of individuals and actions as well, without people realising. He captures the moments which can only be recalled retrospectively on camera.After looking at Parr’s work in the Tate and researching about his life and ideas I felt the motivation to be even more observant when walking through the streets. Often the unexpected things make your artwork great. I am inspired by the photographer’s close-ups, as I think he captures more details and the viewer, therefore, focuses on particular items and gestures. While my images used to be broader like the ones of Andreas Gursky, I will now try to focus on smaller details.

Nevertheless, Gursky’s photographs remind me a lot of Martin Parr, as he engages with globalisation as well. Just like Parr’s work his work is straightforward. Both their artwork make the viewers incredibly pensive. Where is society heading to?

“Shop” by Andreas Gursky

Lastly, after analysing and evaluating the piece of work “Common Sense” we will look at the final question: Did Martin Parr succeed in communicating the message of excessive consumerism and consumption? His body of work details vibrant colours and close-ups, through use of a macro lens which allowed him to put the subject "under the microscope" in their own environment, giving them space to expose their lives and

values in ways that often involve inadvertent humour. Even if some pictures are less flattering the importance is what they show us combined in the grid. Each individual picture has an aspect of the globalised world, for example, the picture depicting the tourist in front of the pyramid. The new direction for Parr catalysed a new movement for British documentary photography. “It became more of a critique, so it changed the form of the photographs,” says Parr. Therefore, I state that the portfolio “Common Sense” of 350 colour laser copies of photographs is successful and conveys a clear message with a hilariously funny but sharp and a bit edgy humour.

Bibliography:

Martin Parr, Common Sense, Tate Modern, London, UK 4th April 2019- 4th November 2019

Aviva UK: Telling your story through photography - Martin Parr (2016) Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEtnCCXpZv4 (Accessed: 22.10.18)

Martin Parr (1998) Blue Lady (Online), Benidorm, Spain Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/32357038@N08/8534803248 (Accessed: 22.10.18)

Martin Parr (1995-99) A dog in sunglasses (Online), Venice Beach, USA Available at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/484981453592403900/ (Accessed: 22.10.18)

Martin Parr (1998) Child eating sugary doughnut (Online) London, UK Available at: https://pro.magnumphotos.com/Package/2K1HRG6S7S7S (Accessed: 22.10.18)

Martin Parr (1995-99) English Breakfast (Online), UK Available at: https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/martin-parrs-real-food/ (Accessed: 22.10.18)

Martin Parr (1995-99) Lady with a disposable camera (Online), Vienna, Austria Available at: https://www.lensculture.com/articles/martin-parr-martin-parr-in-vienna (Accessed: 22.10.18)

Martin Parr (1995-99) Female hand with cigarette (Online), Benidorm, Spain Available at http://www.artnet.com/artists/martin-parr/benidormcommon-sense-womans-hand-with-cigarette-veZrJEcTm0xJwqltBxcXMw2 (Accessed: 22.10.18)

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