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Martin Parr’s Theatre of the Mundane

The photographer, who died Saturday, captured a world of consumerism and kitsch, writes Laurence Benaïm.

Martin Parr has passed away. — Photographer Martin Parr, who died Saturday, captured a world of consumerism and kitsch. (Getty Images)

By

Laurence Benaïm

07 December 2025

BoF PROFESSIONAL

The late Martin Parr was not only a great photographer, but one whose greatness lay precisely in mocking everything that was great, immense and pretentious. It was the reality of the world that he celebrated, making visible the things many try not to see: the vanity fair, global tourism, litter, sunburn. By photographing the mundane, he created work that was unique.

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About the author

Laurence Benaïm

Laurence Benaïm is a contributing writer at The Business of Fashion. Benaïm is a highly respected Frence journalist and author who writes scholarly, cultural, and artistic observations about fashion.

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