On 6 December 2025, Martin Parr died at home in Bristol, aged 73. He was an icon of British documentary photography: an astute observer of modern life, who held up a mirror to the nation through an inimitably incisive and humorous lens. Parr was also a tireless image-maker, on shoot in Italy the day before his passing, “working to improve on a photograph he had previously made of tourists outside Duomo Cathedral in Milan.” He dedicated his career not only to producing his own pictures and photobooks – a pursuit which he loved – but to championing the creativity of other people. He did so through The Martin Parr Foundation, which opened at Paintworks in Bristol in 2017 with the aim “to support emerging, established and overlooked photographers who have made and continue to make work focused on Britain and Ireland.” It houses a collection of more than 5,000 photobooks, curated by Parr, and continues to host regular events and exhibitions. Since Parr’s death, there has been a huge outpouring of appreciation, love and sorrow, alongside the announcement of several major publications and retrospectives in his honour.
Global Warning at Jeu de Paume, Paris, is one such example. This show revisits 180 images spanning five decades, from the 1970s to the present-day. It demonstrates how Parr brought an off-beat perspective to several major causes of climate change and environmental damage, including unchecked global travel, reliance on fossil fuels and overconsumption. One stand-out shot depicts crowds enjoying the Seagaia Ocean Dome in Miyazaki, Japan. The dome, closed in 2007, was home to a huge indoor beach complete with sand, retractable roof and artificial palm trees. Parr’s photograph is Truman Show-esque. Other subjects include an ironically-located Swiss postcard stand; the ever-crowded Blue Grotto, Capri; and The Louvre’s Mona Lisa, barely visible from behind a sea of smartphones. “I create entertainment that contains a serious message if you are willing to look for it, but I’m not trying to convince anyone,” he explained. “I’m simply showing people what they think they know.” His approach taps into a long tradition of British satire.
This year, Jeu de Paume joins the international art community in celebrating Parr’s legacy. In Bristol, The Martin Parr Foundation presents The Last Resort – a pioneering body of colour photography shot around the English seaside town of New Brighton between 1983 and 1985. “The pictures from The Last Resort still hold very well,” Parr said. “When I get to the Pearly Gates, those are the ones I’d probably get out first!” Meanwhile, in London, The Photographers’ Gallery hosts A Fair Day, foregrounding black-and-white scenes from rural Ireland in the early 1980s. This spring, Short & Sweet at Fotografiska Stockholm summarises over 50 years of “captivating and colourful depictions,” whilst Amsterdam’s Foam features studio self-portraits alongside his distinctive, satirical societal comment. Parrathon, opening at Kunstmuseum Karlsruhe in November, includes 200 images from all phases of his career. The list is ever-growing, and there will undoubtedly be more – all paying tribute to a man who left an indelible mark.
Martin Parr: Global Warning is at Jeu de Paume, Paris, until 24 May.
Words: Eleanor Sutherland
Image Credits:
1. Martin Parr, Seagaia Ocean Dome, Miyazaki, Japan, (1996).
2. Martin Parr, Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland, (1994).
3. Martin Parr, Blue Grotto, Capri, Italy, (2014).
