This story appears in i-D 376, “The Lore Issue.” Get your copy of the print magazine here.
I met Martin in Manchester in 1973; he was studying photography and I was reading English. I knew immediately that he was quite extraordinary: clearly eccentric, full of humour and joie de vivre with an incredible passion for photography and a work ethic that lasted his whole life. (He was in the Alps doing a shoot for Vogue the day before he died.)
We moved to Hebden Bridge after Manchester and I started writing texts to accompany his photos of the area. We documented the old industries, the Nonconformist chapels, and the extended families of sheep farmers who lived high up in the moorland. We moved to the West of Ireland for my work, and Martin did a series of photos documenting abandoned Morris Minors, the bungalow new builds that were springing up all over, horse fairs, and the like. Then we came back to the UK, settling in Wallasey, just over the Mersey from Liverpool. Here he started what he considered his best work, photographing New Brighton, a run-down seaside resort favoured by day-trippers from Liverpool. Martin made the radical transition from black and white to colour for this series and the richly saturated images were intensified by the use of flash in daylight. Nobody batted an eyelid at the opening of the show in Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery: Everyone knew that was what New Brighton was like. But when The Last Resort was shown in the Serpentine, it is well-documented that the public and media responses were rather different. This series started his rise to photographic stardom, something he enjoyed for 40 years onwards. Yet despite his fame and fortune, he was always interested in other people’s work and would seek out and champion anything he found worthwhile.
Our final move was to Bristol with our baby daughter Ellen. I forged my own career while he kept travelling and working: worldwide commissions, exhibitions, book signings. The Martin Parr Foundation opened in 2017. The charity supports and showcases the work of emerging and underrepresented photographers, as well as looks after Martin’s huge archive. The MPF has a lively programme of events, shows, talks, and book signings running through the year. It has an incredible library and collections of archives, prints, and book dummies that are available for research. The dedicated staff, along with Ellen and me, fully intend to maintain the vibrant, dynamic ethos of the foundation and to ensure it is sustained into the future.
Martin was a huge character with many quirks. An appalling driver, especially when going backwards. Able to dance and take photos simultaneously. Hopeless at IT. Blunt and direct to the point of rudeness if not interested. Hugely kind and supportive to those whose work he admired (unusual in such an egocentric world). Always on the lookout for new work, interesting photobooks, projects. Generous in offering those starting out connections within his huge network. A loyal friend. A maverick boss. A workhorse. Fond of tea and cake at 3:30 p.m.
It feels very fitting that the foundation (which went dark following his death in early December) should open up again on February 20, 2026 with The Last Resort. Included in the show will be some images that didn’t make the original selection. A publication to mark the occasion will be available. We hope that lots of people will come to visit, support the foundation, and celebrate Martin’s amazing legacy.
all images COURTESY OF THE MARTIN PARR FOUNDATION