Parrworld

First edition of Parrworld from Martin Parr. First impression. Medium format, 2 volume set, with hardback covers in near fine condition. Soft bump to corner. See photographs for reference.

About

Martin Parr's vast collections of photography books and postcards are world-renowned. Unbeknownst to many, he is also an obsessive collector of photographic and themed objects. Parrworld: Objects and Postcards, puts these items on display in a luscious, appropriately thorough and humorous two-volume set, the first to document his 25 years of collecting. Some of the items in Objects have already achieved notoriety—for instance, the wrist watches featuring Saddam Hussein's visage. Others mythologize well-known figures such as Lenin and the Spice Girls. Then there is the kitsch: wallpaper, trays, and objects commemorating Sputnik, Chuck and Di's wedding, and 9/11. Postcards is a highly entertaining, yet serious study of postcard history, from early cards depicting car crashes and murders to a selection of cards promoting motorways and shopping. Objects is introduced by Parr and Postcards features an introduction by Thomas Weski, curator of the companion exhibition Parrworld, which is touring internationally. This affordably priced set is bound to appeal to a wide audience, but in particular to collectors who thought they already owned everything Parr.