Martin Parr for Utterly Lazy and Inattentive

"By the age of 14, I decided I would be a photographer. 'It's what I will do for the rest of my life, until I drop dead.' I knew when I was very young. It was a definite decision. Don't ask me why. I just knew it was the right thing." - Martin Parr

We are delighted to welcome esteemed photographer Martin Parr to Bath to display and discuss his autobiography. This definitive account of his life tells not only his story, from quiet suburban collector to British documentary photographer extraordinaire and world traveller, but also delves into his process and approach to both the job and cultural role of a photographer.

Utterly Lazy and Inattentive is an insightful and beautiful book and this event will take us into its pages as Martin presents a selection of images and dissects them. We will learn about how they came to be as well as what they mean to him and the impact they have had on his career.

When Martin Parr was fourteen, his teacher wrote that he was 'utterly lazy and inattentive' in a school report. He went on to become one of the most successful and sought-after photographers in the world. Now, for the first and only time, Martin has produced a book about himself, telling his own story, in his own words.

This autobiography combines over 150 of Martin's photographs - from his earliest snapshots to the work he is doing today - with his recollections and reflections on each image. We see society changing over his decades of work, from the demise of steam trains, through the opening of the first McDonald's in Moscow, to the transformations of the post-pandemic world.

As Martin shares his story, his distinctive voice delicately captured by his friend, the writer Wendy Jones, he also reveals his tricks for gaining access and getting the shot and divulges his particular passions: for crowds and queues, fetes and placards, bad weather on beaches, and more.