Martin Parr: Photographic Work 1970-2000.

Martin Parr Photographic Work 1970 - 2000 was a retrospective exhibition curated by Val Williams, held at the Barbican Gallery in 2002, and subsequently touring.

Martin Parr had held a number of solo exhibitions prior to the Barbican Gallery exhibition. However, ‘Martin Parr Photographic Work’ was the first to assess Parr’s photographs as a complete body of work, with a detailed narrative about Parr’s personal and professional history and the broader context of British post-1970 photography.

Although focused on one photographer, the research set out to frame his work within a history of a UK photographic renaissance. The research comprised analysis of the photographer’s archive and papers, a lengthy interview with him made for the British Library and now part of its Oral History of British Photography holdings, and exploration of the growth of British independent photography, including magazine and books. Other interviews made for the British Library with Parr’s contemporaries were also consulted.

The exhibition included Parr’s major projects from 1970s, 80s and 90s, as well as lesser-known work from his archive. His innovative role in the history of colour photography within the UK documentary tradition and his works as a Magnum photographer are both documented and assessed.

The exhibition was accompanied by a book which included a critical essay by Williams on Parr’s photography, containing details of his previous publications and exhibitions, work in collections, and consideration of his entire oeuvre.

• http://www.arts.ac.uk/15413.htm