More Than Irony: Beneath the Surface of Martin Parr’s Tourism Pictures

Currently, Martin Parr (1952-2025) is one of the world’s most influential and popular photographers. Chris von Hummel approaches Parr’s distinctive pictorial language from the perspective of visual modes of irony. The focus is not on individual images but on the photo books The Last Resort (1986), Small World (from 1995) and Death by Selfie (2019) and their themes: leisure activities, travel and tourism. Starting from these contemporary icons of photography, he goes on to reflect on the significance of the photo book as an independent genre. The result is a comprehensive overview presenting unfamiliar aspects in the reception of Parr’s work and its relevance for contemporary art. Short, selective interviews with Parr complement the analyses. Image analysis of photo books Exemplary analyses of individual images and photo books Comprehensive consideration of Martin Parr's oeuvre up to 2025