ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Martin Parr's 'Small World' Series at Foam Amsterdam

exhibition · 2026-06-24

Foam Amsterdam presents a retrospective of British photographer Martin Parr, focusing on his series 'Small World' (1987–94), a long-term anthropological study of mass tourism. Parr's sharp wit captures the absurdities of modern leisure culture, from tourists marching in duck-like formations up the Eiffel Tower or Switzerland's Kleine Scheidegg pass, only to find their view blocked by other visitors. The exhibition positions Parr as a precise observer of human quirks and the homogenization of travel experiences.

Key facts

  • Exhibition at Foam Amsterdam features Martin Parr's 'Small World' series
  • Series created between 1987 and 1994
  • Focuses on mass tourism and leisure culture
  • Parr's work highlights absurdities of tourist behavior
  • Includes images of Eiffel Tower and Kleine Scheidegg pass
  • Parr is described as a precise observer of human idiosyncrasies

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Foam Amsterdam

Locations

  • Amsterdam
  • Netherlands
  • Eiffel Tower
  • France
  • Kleine Scheidegg
  • Switzerland

Sources