The WIP #16: Colour
The Week in Photos (13-19 April 2024)
This week I have been writing about why Martin Parr is so divisive. To help me understand, I asked some photographers for their opinion, receiving some brilliant responses from Nicky Bird, Alan Dimmick, Dina Litovsky, Neil Milton, Simon Murphy, Robbie Murrie, Olli Thomson, Anne Ward, and Christina Webber, and an Anonymous Female Student.
Whatever you may think of his work, it’s impossible to ignore his command of colour which is lurid and beautiful. It inspired me to find colour in dear grey green Glasgow.
There is colour out there in the world, but reaching Parr’s level of vulgar immediacy is hard.
Of course, the new foreign supermarkets in Glasgow are helping with their outsider graphic design.
The other thing Parr is associated with is stark visions of humanity, that some think cruel. Here is a hunched over man climbing Scott Street’s steep hill that feels somewhat voyeuristic.
On Wednesday, I went to the brutalist building of the student union for an event. I’d never climbed the stairs before but found a used needle and a can of Irn-Bru. Glasgow never changes.
I had fun time at Offpage Vispo, a collection of artworks made by poets, impressively curated by Julie Laing and Chris Boyland. Here are two visitors, Tom and Judy, enjoying some ‘rubbish’ poetry.
Until next time.
