Martin Parr: Very Modern and Rather Ugly Photography Exhibition at Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam

Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam presents 'Very Modern and Rather Ugly', a tribute to the influential British photographer Martin Parr. The exhibition features his most iconic works, celebrating his unique perspective, societal observations, and enduring fascination with photography's role in everyday life. This is Parr's first solo museum exhibition in the Netherlands in over twenty years.

Foam pays tribute to the legacy of British photographer Martin Parr with the exhibition 'Very Modern and Rather Ugly'. Bringing together a selection of his most iconic works, the exhibition celebrates Parr’s unmistakable way of seeing, witty societal observations, and enduring fascination with the role of photography in everyday life. This marks Parr’s first solo museum exhibition in the Netherlands in more than twenty years. In commemoration of his recent passing, Foam presents a tribute to his legacy. Across a career spanning more than five decades, Martin Parr (1952–2025) became one of the most distinctive and influential figures in contemporary documentary photography. Recognised for his saturated colours, close-up compositions, harsh flash and incisive, ironic eye, he documented the everyday rituals, behaviours, and habits of modern life. From leisure and tourism to consumerism and social class, his work exposes the humour and absurdity of ordinary existence. Parr is celebrated for his ability to make the familiar look strange and the boring interesting. Through his vibrant visual language, he transformed seemingly banal scenes into incisive reflections on modern society. Central to his life’s work were themes of consumption, cultural identity, tourism and class, which he explored over decades across both national and international contexts. His distinctive approach to subject matter, long-term projects, and immediately recognisable photographic style have made him a lasting point of reference for younger generations of photographers. Parr did not simply document contemporary life; he reshaped how we see it. Central to the exhibition is Parr’s iconic series _Common Sense_ (1999), an installation of 270 colour-saturated close-up photographs that zoom in on global consumer culture. The series _Autoportrait_ (2002) brings together three decades of portraits of Martin Parr. Visitors will also be able to discover _The Non-Conformists_ (mid-1970s), his early documentation of rural English communities, and his breakthrough series _The Last Resort_ (1983-85). In addition to the photographic series, the exhibition will feature a reading room in which visitors can immerse themselves in Parr’s numerous photobook publications. Martin Parr (1952–2025) was born in Epsom, United Kingdom, and studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic. In 1994, Parr became a full member of Magnum Photos and served as the agency’s president from 2013 to 2017. Alongside his photographic practice, he was active as a curator, editor and professor. Having published over 150 books of his own and edited another 30 in his lifetime, Parr built a long-lasting legacy. His work has been collected by many of the world’s leading museums. The exhibition is made in collaboration with Magnum Photos and the Martin Parr Foundation.

The exhibition is on view daily from 10:00 to 18:00 hrs, and Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 21:00 hrs. Further ticketing details or booking information are likely available via the official museum website or direct contact with the press office.