Simon Baker Reflects on Martin Parr's Influence on Tate Photography and Artistic Legacy

Simon Baker, appointed as the inaugural photography curator at London's Tate gallery in 2008, recounts his professional relationship with British photographer Martin Parr. Upon his appointment, Baker was advised to consult with Parr, a prominent figure in British photography alongside contemporaries like Don McCullin and David Bailey. Parr had long advocated for Tate to establish a dedicated photography curator and believed photography should receive equal representation alongside other media. Surprisingly, during their early meetings at Tate or Parr's Bristol home, Parr focused extensively on promoting other British photographers, introducing Baker to figures like Chris Killip and Graham Smith, whom Tate had previously overlooked. In 2009, Parr's insights into William Klein's influence on Japanese photography, particularly Daido Moriyama and the Provoke magazine, directly led to the 'William Klein + Daido Moriyama' exhibition at Tate Modern in 2010—Baker's first fully curated exhibition for Tate. Subsequently, Baker and Parr collaborated for nearly five years to facilitate Tate's acquisition of Parr's unparalleled collection of over 12,000 photobooks, an effort supported by the Luma Foundation in Arles. It wasn't until years later that Parr noted they had never discussed his own work, prompting a new conversation that culminated in a significant exhibition of Parr's photographs, books, and his slide work 'Luxury' entering Tate Modern's permanent collection. The article also details Parr's artistic evolution, beginning with black-and-white photography before developing his signature vibrant color style with daytime flash, seen in series like 'Bad Weather' (1981) and 'The Last Resort' (1983-1985), which documented working-class leisure in British coastal towns like New Brighton. Parr's career expanded to include series such as 'The Cost of Living', 'Common Sense', and 'Luxury', addressing themes from British middle-class life to global consumerism. His involvement with Magnum Photos was transformative for the collective, and he remained an active advocate for photography through lectures, workshops, and public engagements. The piece concludes with a personal anecdote from the 2024 Images Vevey festival in Switzerland, where Parr, recovering from illness, enjoyed a boat trip with his wife Suzie and photographer Paul Graham, who helped enable the click sound on Parr's new digital camera. The article is translated from English by Carlos Franco, with photos provided by Galeria Lume, Parr's representative in Brazil, where he held solo exhibitions 'Food' (2023) and 'Covers Exhibition' (2015). Simon Baker, born in 1972, is an art historian and curator who served as Tate's photography curator, directed the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, and taught art history at the University of Nottingham.