Since the late 1980’s Martin Parr has been taking photographs in Ireland. Between 1980-1982 he lived in the West of Ireland embedding himself in its land and culture, capturing the area where he was based.
Limerick City Gallery of Art
Since then he has returned at regular intervals over the last three decades to continue this work. During that time, he captured the changing Ireland and created a series of images that present the effects of wealth and Americanisation on the country. At a pivotal time of social and cultural change these series range from the Texan inspired Bungalows of Co. Leitrim to the Country and Western dances in rural dance halls, showing an Ireland on the cusp of the Celtic Tiger era. Since then he has produced new works around the Silicon Docks in Dublin, once again exploring the new wave of Corporate American influence in Irish society and the shadow of an impending Brexit.
To date this expansive series of images made in Ireland over 40 years has not been exhibited in its entirety. In 2021 this will no longer be the case as Limerick City Gallery of Art working in partnership with Northern Narratives productions - opens a tour which will present all of Parr’s works exploring a variety of themes and events of historical and social significance in Ireland. The tour will continue from Limerick to Dublin Gallery of Photography, Roscommon Arts Centre and then travel to Boston College’s McMullen Museum of Art before returning to finish its tour in Belfast Exposed Gallery in the North of Ireland.
Virtual tour of the exhibition: https://www.figma.com/proto/80k6Kfj4HvtysE5SRr5EZE/LCGA-Virtual-Tour?kind=&node-id=157%3A0&scaling=scale-down-width
Information sheet for LCGA Exhibition: Parr's Ireland: 40 Years of Photography (1,254 Kb)
The exhibition catalogue ' FROM THE POPE TO A FLAT WHITE, 2020'
Martin Parr has been photographing in Ireland for over 4 decades. This extensive documentation - brought together for the first time - reveals the dramatic change the country has seen over the past forty years. This publication begins with early black and white photography, documenting the Pope’s visit in 1979, as well as traditional aspects of rural life, such as horse fairs and dances. Progressing chronologically, we see McDonalds drive throughs and Dublin markets of the 90s, before the work culminates in gay weddings, gentrification and start-up companies of 2019. Introduction by Fintan O'Toole.
Published by Damiani, https://www.damianieditore.com/it-IT/product/785 | FROM THE POPE TO A FLAT WHITE, 2020, ISBN: 9788862087292 (h345 x w248 mm.128 pages. 38 b&w photographs. 56 colour photographs. Hardback)
Copies of the exhibition catalogue also availble from Gallery of Photograph, https://www.galleryofphotography.ie
The exhibition is touring to Gallery of Photography, Dublin, 26 Jun - 5 Sep 2021 & Roscommon Arts Centre 2021
Further information available at Martin Parr: https://www.martinparr.com
- Review by Fintan O'Toole - Irish Times columist and writer www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/visual-art/from-the-past-to-modernity-images-of-ireland-transforming-1.4384149
- Review Hugh Linehan, The Irish Times 2016 https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/1980s-ireland-revisited-in-exhibition-by-top-photographer-1.2753395
For further information please email artgallery@limerick.ie
