Publisher's Description
Martin Parr’s vast collections of photography books and postcards are world-renowned.
Unbeknownst to many, he is also an obsessive collector of photographic and themed
objects. In Parrworld: Objects and Postcards, a luscious two-volume set, his procurement
abilities are presented with appropriate thoroughness, and with typical Parr humor.
Some of the items in Objects have already achieved notoriety—for instance, the wrist
watches featuring Saddam Hussein’s visage. Others mythologize well-known figures
such as Lenin and the Spice Girls. Then there is the kitsch: wallpaper, trays, and objects
commemorating Sputnik, Chuck and Di’s wedding, and 9/11.
While Objects is the first publication to document his twenty-five-plus years of such
collecting, Postcards is the “last word” on an extraordinary collection of over 20,000
cards. This highly entertaining, yet serious study of postcard history includes early
cards that depict local news events such as car crashes and murders. The book finishes
in Boring Postcards territory with a selection of cards promoting motorways and
shopping.
Objects is introduced by Parr and Postcards features an introduction by Thomas
Weski, curator of the companion exhibition Parrworld, which is touring internationally.
This affordably priced set is bound to appeal to a wide audience, but in particular to
collectors who thought they already owned everything Parr. A special limited edition is
also available; for details, see page 29.
back