Photographer Ignored at Home is a Rock Star Abroad

The death of British photographer Martin Parr made front-page news in France. His work, which documented the rituals of everyday life in the UK, was also widely celebrated in the United States and Japan. In his native England, however, appreciation was slower. Some there were unsure about his satirical focus on British social classes. The contrast is striking. According to curator Quentin Bajac, countries like France have long revered the Epsom-born artist “like a rock or a movie star.” This global admiration highlights how Parr's sharp, class-conscious photography was often embraced more freely abroad than at home.