I first met Martin Parr in 2012, during one of his many trips from the UK to Hong Kong and China in search of old Chinese photo books. Soon after we met, I asked if he might consider a commission to photograph Hong Kong. Martin’s immediate response was, “What is the agenda behind this?” I was momentarily taken aback but soon realized that such directness was as characteristic of him as his photography. I told him, just as frankly, that I had studied and admired his work as a student, and wondered why he had never photographed Hong Kong.
Over the following year, Martin and I spoke regularly about the topics this project should explore – what was unfolding in Hong Kong at a moment of critical social transition. In 2013, he spent two weeks in Hong Kong photographing the city, capturing vignettes of Hong Kong life: mainland tourists queueing outside luxury stores, smugglers at the Lo Wu border, ballroom dancers, gamblers at Happy Valley racecourse, butchers in wet markets, chicken heads and feet at food stalls. They were all subjects that aligned with his lifelong fascinations. The commission resulted in his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong in 2014, accompanied by the publication Hong Kong Parr.
Martin is the ultimate rock star of the photography world. Wherever we went, he was surrounded by art fans. As much as he enjoyed the fandom, he was above all a humanitarian – interested in people and adept at approaching anyone in any situation, and always armed with his signature deadpan wit. Yet he was also utterly irreverent toward social etiquettes, especially that of the exclusive and privileged.
I remember taking him to China Club for a lunch with important curators and collectors. China Club is known for its strict dress code – no sandals, trainers and slippers. Despite multiple reminders, Martin arrived in his trademark short-sleeved check shirt with Birkenstock sandals. He had no intention of compromising his look and was taken aback when he was rejected, insisting he always managed to get his way in private clubs in the UK! Eventually, both he and the Club reached a compromise: our producer rushed to a nearby Marks & Spencer to buy him socks, which he put on under his Birkenstock.
On another occasion, a local fashion magazine asked Martin to handwrite a letter to their readers. To my surprise, he agreed. I feel compelled to share the entire letter here:
Dear xxx readers,
Hello, my name is Martin Parr, and I am against what this magazine stands for. Your job is to make clothes and shoes look beautiful and attractive, which is a form of propaganda. My job is to show you, dear readers, how the world really looks, and that is why I am a photographer!
Best wishes,
Martin Parr
Hong Kong, Sept 2014
Martin and I stayed in touch in the decade since our Hong Kong project. In 2017, he established the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol to support British and Irish photographers through exhibitions, the acquisition of their works, and a library open to the public. I last visited him there in 2022, shortly after he recovered from cancer. I asked him to return to Hong Kong for a sequel to our Hong Kong project – something I wish, in hindsight, I had urged and insisted. Now, I could only imagine how Martin would have captured today’s Hong Kong.
Martin is no longer with us, but his works and these fond memories will always remain.
Warmest regards,
Mimi
Mimi Chun
Founder and Director
Blindspot Gallery