Autoportrait

This is an unusual and hilarious book. For the last few years, when Martin Parr has travelled on assignment he has had his picture taken by a local studio photographer, or street photo-grapher, or in a photo booth. The result is a wonderfully varied portfolio of portraits ranging from elaborate studio sets reminiscent of the heyday of the Victorian studio photographer, through to digitally manipulated images of Parr as Mr Universe, and images which have been horrendously re-touched in the studio’s efforts to flatter Parr and make him appear twenty years younger. As with all Parr’s projects the book is not only hilarious but also raises broader issues of identity and self, questioning the whole notion of the photographic portrait.