Born in 1952 in Epsom, Surrey (England), Martin Parr was graduated from photography at Manchester Polytechnic in 1973.

In 1994, he became a full member of Magnum Photographic Corporation and was guest artistic director for Rencontres d’Arles in 2004 and for New York Photo Festival in 2008.

A photographer, a filmmaker and a collector of miscellaneous objects, Martin Parr has developed an international reputation for his innovative imagery, his oblique approach to social documentary, and his input to photographic culture within the UK and abroad.

He was awarded the Erich Salomon Prize for photojournalism in 2006 and wins the Baumier Mercier award at PhotoEspana in 2008 in recognition of his professional career and contributions to contemporary photography.
 　
Selected Exhibitions
2009
Martin Parr in Beijing, Galerie Paris-Beijing, Beijing, China
Planète Parr, le Jeu de Paume, Paris, France 　
2008
ParrWorld, Haus der Kunst, Munchen, Germany
Dubai, The Third Line, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Assorted Cocktail, Santralistanbul, Turkey
ParrWorld, Breda Photo, the Netherlands
Melbourne Cup, Niagara Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
Street & Studio, collective exhibition, Tate Modern, London, UK
Between memory and History: From the epic to the everyday, collective exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, Canada
2007
Retrospective, Seoul Arts Centre, Korea
Autoportrait, ZPAFiS-KA Gallery, Krakow, Poland
Fashion Magazine, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Japan
Fashion Newspaper, Paul Smith Space, Tokyo
Retrospective, Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
Assorted Cocktail, C/O Berlin, Germany
Turkey by Magnum, collective exhibition, Istanbul Modern Art Museum, Turkey
How We Are, collective exhibition, Tate Britain, London, UK
2006
Food, Nordic Festival of Light, Norway
Retrospective, Forma Gallery, Milan, Italy
Assorted Cocktail, Photokina, Cologne, Germany
Mexico, Janet Borden Gallery, New York, USA
Making History, collective exhibition, Tate Gallery, Liverpool, UK
Click Double Click, collective exhibition, Haust der Kunst, Munchen, Germany
2005
Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
PhotoEspana, Madrid, Spain
Die Kunsthalle, Mannheim, Germany
Montreal Festival of Photography, Canada
Nicola von Senger Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
Kamel Mennour Gallery, Paris, France
Fashion Show, Rocket Gallery London, UK
Fashion Show, Bon Marche, Paris
Stephen Daiter Gallery, Chicago, USA
Retrospective, MEP, Paris, France
Common Sense, Niagra Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
Exposures, collective exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, USA
Eurovisions, collective exhibition, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
2004
Pingyao Photography Festival, China 　
2003
Studio Trisorio, Naples, Italy
National Museum of Photography, Copenhagen, Denmark
Kunsthalle Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Renia Sofia, Madrid, Spain
20/21 Essen, Germany
Cruel and Tender, collective exhibition, Tate Modern, London, UK 　
2002
Martin Parr: Photographic Works 1971-2000, Barbican Art Gallery, London, UK
The Phone Show, Rocket Gallery, London
Sirieuze Zaken, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Martin Parr Photoworks 1971 - 2000, Barbican Art Gallery and major European tour
Rocket Gallery London
Rose Gallery, Los Angeles. USA
Sand in der Vaseline, Kerfelder Kunstmuseem, Germany 　
2001
Think of England, Rocket Gallery, London, UK
2000
20/21 Gallery, Essen, Germany
Autoportrait, Tom Blau Gallery, London, UK
Galerie du Jour, Paris, France
1999
Common Sense, 43 locations worldwide
Benidorm, Sprengel Museum, Hanover, Germany
Our Turning World: Magnum Photographers 　
1998
Ooh La La, National Museum of Photography, Bradford, UK
Japonais Endormis, Galerie du Jour, Paris, France
Gallery Riis, Oslo, Norway
No Sex Please, We’re British, collective exhibition, Shisheido Department Store, Tokyo, Japan 　
1997
West Bay, Rocket Gallery, London, UK
Kunsthaus, Zurich, Switzerland
Trois Grandes Egyptiennes, collective exhibition, Musee de la Photographie, Charlleroi, Belgium
1996
Janet Borden, New York, USA
1995
Small World, Photographer's Gallery, London, UK
Small World and From A to B, National Centre of Photography, Paris, France
Galerie du Jour, Paris, France
Internationale Foto-Triennale, collective exhibition, Esslingen,Germany
European Photography Award
1985-1994, collective exhibition, Kultur Zentrum, BadHamburg, Germany
1994
From A to B, 27 Welcome Break service stations, UK
Curitiba Photo Festival, Brazil
1993
A Year in the Life of Chew Stoke, Chew Stoke Village Hall, Bristol, UK
Bored Couples, Galerie du Jour, Paris and subsequent tour
Home and Abroad, Watershed Gallery, Bristol and international tour
Photographs from the Real World, collective exhibition, Lilliehammer Art Museum, Norway
Sobre Santiago, Tres de Magnum, collective exhibition, Santiago, Spain
1992
iSigns of the Times, Janet Borden, New York, USA
Kiek in de Kok Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
1991
Janet Borden, New York, USA
Gaerie Jacques Gordat, Paris, France
British Photography from the Thatcher Years, collective exhibition, MOMA, New York, USA
Voir la Suisse Autrement, collective exhibition, Fribourg, Switzerland
1990
The Past and Present of Photography, collective exhibition, MOMA, Tokyo, Japan 
1989
 The Cost of Living, Royal Photographic Society, Bath (UK) and tour
Through the Looking Glass, British photography 1945-1989, collective exhibition, Barbican Centre, London
The Art of Photography, collective exhibition, Royal Academy, London
1988
KKodak Gallery, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan
A British View, collective exhibition, Museum fur Gestalturg, Zurich, Switzerland
1987
ICP Midtown, New York, USA
Spending Time, National Centre of Photography, Paris, France
Attitudes to Ireland, collective exhibition, Orchard Gallery, Derry, N.Ireland
Mysterious Coincidences, collective exhibition, Photographer's Gallery, London, UK
Inscriptions and Inventions, collective exhibition, British Council touring exhibition
1986
The Last Resort, Serpentine Gallery, London, UK
Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany
Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles, France
Fotograficentrum, Stockholm, Sweden
British Contemporary Photography, collective exhibition, Houston Foto Festival, USA
New Documents, collective exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago, USA
1985
Quelques Anglais, exposition collective, Centre National de la Photographie, Paris, France
1983
International Photography Festival, Malmo, Sweden 　
1982
Rural Irish Photographers, Neikrug Gallery, New York, USA
Bad Weather, Photgrapher's Gallery, London and subsequent tour
Strategies-recent developments in British photography, collective exhibition, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, UK
1981
The Non-Conformists, Camerawork, London, UK 　
1979
Three Perspectives on Photography, collective exhibition, Hayward Gallery, London 　
1978
Fotomania Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
Personal Views 1860-1977, collective show, British Council touring show
Art for Society, collective exhibition, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK 　
1976
Beauty Spots, Impressions Gallery, York and subsequent tour
1972
Home Sweet Home, Impressions Gallery, York, and Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol  　

Collections
Arts Council of Great Britain
Union Bank of Finland, Helsinki
Museum for Fotokunst, Odense, Denmark
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
George Eastman House, Rochester
Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Calderdale Council, Halifax
Getty Museum, Malibu
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Kodak, France
Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany
Seagrams Collection, New York
Museum of Modern Art, Tempere, Finland
British Council, London
Irish Arts Council
Australian National Gallery
Paris Audiovisual
Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany
Yokohama Museum of Art, Japan
Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Tate Modern, London