Auto Crazy

Martin Parr

China. Beijing. The Beijing Motor Show. 2008. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

I am in a taxi, stuck in a big traffic jam. I am on my way to Auto China, 2008, and we are edging our way along ring road 3, about to join the airport expressway going to the newly opened China International Exhibition Centre, where this event is held. There are six ring roads in Beijing, and except for ring road 1, which is a track round the Forbidden City, they are all four lane motorways.
Most of the time you are as likely to be stationary, rather than moving.

When you consider that private ownership of cars was only sanctioned in 1980, Beijing has now joined that super league of gridlocked cities such as Dubai, Sao Paulo and Bangkok, in record time. Beijing could soon become the city with more cars than any other on the planet. This year alone the auto industry expects to sell nine million cars in China, so you can start to understand why this event is taken very seriously indeed, by sellers and buyers in equal measure.

While car sales in the West are currently suppressed there is only one word for the Chinese car market, growth. This is currently running at around 25%. When you consider that 90% of families in the West own a car and in China it is a mere 6%, you will understand why the motor industry thinks that China will rescue it from a down turn.

The Chinese do not just love cars, they worship them. In the section where luxury brands display their latest models, the stands are mobbed. In this section you are not allowed to come up to the cars unless you look like a potential customer. But everyone gawps and takes photos, happy to have seen a real Rolls Royce or a Porsche.

Almost everything we buy in the West is now made in China, with the big exception of cars. But the Chinese are trying to catch up. There were over twenty Chinese car manufacturers at the show, Chery being the top of the league. This firm exports more cars than any other Chinese company. However, their main export markets are the ex Russian countries of Eastern Europe, and South America. They do not sell in Europe or the USA, probably because they would not meet the safety regulations.

Chery also make the cheapest car in China, the QQ. Sadly this was not on display because, as I was told " everyone knows it." This sells for roughly $4,000.

Taking photographs of the cars is the way in which the Chinese define their visit to the show. This process is all helped along by a lavish sprinkling of car girls. Such is the importance of the girls' contribution, there are competitions for the best girl in each show hall. Car brochures abound, and are picked up enthusiastically. Sometimes a queue will form for these, which will make the queue escalate; no-one wants to be outdone.

As a British citizen I took particular delight in encountering the Roewe stand. Roewe is the name given to the newly-launched Rover group that was bought by the Chinese a few years back. They took the brand, brought all the equipment over from Longbridge and have re-jigged the car for the Chinese market. The marketing is re-assuringly British. Britain now has no major car manufacturer at all. Such is the dynamic of the new world order, which like so much of life is defined by our love of cars.

Moscow Calling

Martin Parr

I am sitting in a café having a good plate of pasta. Nothing remarkable about this, but this is Moscow, and I still carry memories of struggling to find anything half decent to eat when I first visited this city in the early 90s. Now there are good eating places everywhere, as this is a city flush with cash. The Gucci store in downtown Moscow generates more income per sq metre than any other Gucci outlet in the world.

Russia. McDonalds in Moscow. 1992. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

I came to Moscow in 1992 and photographed in the first McDonalds that opened here. There were long queues to experience this icon of the America. I still remember, with almost disbelief, the excitement and thrill of the diners. Now of course, there are Yellow arches everywhere here, and not a queue in sight.
Funnily enough, it is the only time I have been granted permission to photograph in a McDonalds. I have asked since, and always had permission declined.
This does not prevent me going in and shooting, especially in the likes of China, where being thrown out by a faintly embarrassed duty manager gives a certain thrill. And remember like speed dating, there is always another target just down the road.

Russia. Moscow. Millionaire's Fair. 2007. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

Back to Moscow, where I am photographing the 2nd Millionaire's Fair. Talk about bling, the Muscovites have no hesitation in showing off their wealth. One can buy a helicopter, mobile phones encrusted with diamonds or an apartment in Dubai.
One suspects the really wealthy do not want to be seen here, but those that do show up on the opening night are exactly what you think the wealthy should look like. The women wear the latest label, the younger women all have glowing long hair, many keep their furs on, despite the heat. Champagne is everywhere, and never seems to run out, there are people rolling cigars and handing these out, canapés come at you at every angle.

Traditionally poverty has been the front line for the concerned photographer, I am happy to reverse this, and for many years have photographed the wealth of the West. These images will all accumulate towards a suite of photographs entitled "Luxury" I am convinced that the non stop growth and the wealth we create has many problems associated with this.
The Millionaire's Fair is in Krokus Park, an exhibition Centre about 20 KM from the centre of Moscow. Getting there can take up to 2 hours, when I return late at night, it takes 25 min, such is the congestion on Moscow's roads.
The next stop on this wealth tour is the Chinese Motor show in Beijing next April. I must get a hotel where I can walk there, rather than being stuck in traffic.

Magnum, Magnum

Martin Parr

Now that this tome has hit the streets, I thought it would be worthwhile to give some details to the background of this project. All Magnum group projects have to gain board or membership approval, and so it was at the 2006 AGM in London we were discussing Thames and Hudson's interest in doing a book to celebrate our 60th anniversary for 2007.I came up with an idea that the photographers select each other as being a potentially interesting way to get a fresher selection, and to benefit from inside knowledge within the agency.

As most people are aware Magnum is the only agency where the photographers vote on any potential new member, so it would be quite logical that we select each others' work for this book. Peer group knowledge can also be quite illuminating as we know our fellow photographers' work pretty well. This idea then started to get legs and it was clear that the only person capable of orchestrating such an undertaking was Brigitte Lardinois who had worked in the London Magnum cultural department for 12 years. Not only was she liked by all the photographers, she would know all our quirks, foibles and was also very charming and persuasive, a vital ingredient to make this work. One month was allotted to the task of making up the pairings, but in fact this eventually turned into 3 months. Some photographers would have to select more than one, because of the estates, but it soon became obvious this was no easy task. Jane Cutter, an editor at Thames and Hudson likened this process to organising a teenage camping trip. You had to find out who did not want to share a tent with x, who did not mind sharing with anybody, and who was determined to sleep on their own. She also had the problem that some photographers were very popular and were over subscribed with potential selectors, and horror of horrors, some had no suitors.

After 3 months, 4,000 e-mails and hours on the phone it all worked out like a huge jigsaw. A couple of photographers such as Dennis Stock insisted on self selection. Some photographers such as Bruce Davidson insisted that he was selected by Chien-Chi, and that he selected Chien-Chi, who he regards as the most underrated photographer within Magnum. Brigitte then had the task of getting the introductory text out of the photographers, and this too was a daunting task. This process was all the more difficult as the photographers would disappear as the were on assignments or doing personal work in all the corners of the globe.
The texts do display real insights, much affection and respect for their colleague photographers.

So far, so good. At the AGM in 2007 when I was debriefing the member photographers about progress on this project, there was much concern voiced about the procedure for signing off the proofs and of course the quality of the printing. Some photographers demanded to personally sign off their proofs, and this meant sending them to summer retreats, and catching the restless Josef Koudelka at one of his rare times in the Magnum Paris office or other rather complicated arrangements. I agreed to take on the responsibility of checking all the proofs. These finally caught up with me in a hotel in Tokyo and meant getting up at 4am, so they could be returned immediately, as by now the project was on a very tight schedule to come out now for the run up to Xmas.

So finally the book is out and weighing 6.5kg and with 414 photographs it is an epic item. I calculate that at £95 in the UK, this means it works out at £14.62 per kilo, about the same price as cod, so you do get a lot of book for your money.
It has also been published in 7 language editions around the globe.
Surprisingly this is the only recent Magnum group project that included every photographer and estate, a rare achievement, as there is usually a photographer who declines to participate, for various reasons.
My congratulations to Brigitte and the London Magnum office staff who supported her sterling work. I think she could be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Links:
» Sample Chapter Magnum Magnum: Chien-Chi Chang by Bruce Davidson
» Album Magnum Magnum
» Book Magnum Magnum (From the Magnum Store)

Korea, An Apology

Martin Parr

Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

The above image was taken at the Parthenon in Greece in 1991 and was part of my project about global tourism.

Up until last week I had always thought that the tour group was Japanese. However, when I was recently in Seoul and this image was used as a poster, one reason cited was the fact that the party of tourists was Korean.

So I feel it only correct that I apologise for this misrepresentation. All those times I have given talks and mentioned how the Japanese travel the world in groups… Canadian readers will understand the gravity of this, when you are accused of being American.

I spent a good few days in Korea shooting tourist activities. These days, people photograph one another so prolifically and with such enthusiasm that I often wonder whether they actually look at any of the things they are visiting.

Continue reading 'Korea, An Apology'

Bling, Bling

Martin Parr

I have just returned from Dubai where I was photographing the first Dubai DIFC Art Fair. We all know that Dubai is the fastest growing city in the world and this fair was part of an ongoing strategy to try and position Dubai as a cultural destination, to compliment their known love of tourism and business.

Dubai. 2007. Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

This city has a lot of cash swashing around, and when you have bought all the cars, houses, plastic surgery and clothes you need the only thing left to buy is Art. And this is what appeared to be happening at the VIP launch of this fair last Thursday evening. What for me was interesting, is that the normal art fair crowd was entirely different. There were the normal Western Europeans and Americans, but also of course, the Arabs, the wealthy Indians, and the Asians too. This heady mix was wonderful to photograph, it was really a truly international event. The way people dressed and their demeanour was very Bling, not a word I have encountered much, but you know it when you see it.

Continue reading 'Bling, Bling'

Don't cry for me

Martin Parr

I am now back home in the UK, after completing my tour of South America, where I have been shooting the beaches for a project that documents the four biggest beach resorts.

My final destination was Argentina where I went to Mar del Plata, which is by far its biggest resort. What a remarkable place. We all know those scenes of post-war Coney Island, with crammed beaches. Well this is just like that, but still going strong 50 years later. The place is packed.

Martin Parr has visited Argentina before. This image is from a trip to Buenos Aires in 1998.

Unlike the Chileans, the beach is crowded by mid-morning, where virtually everything under the planet is brought around and sold. There are wagons loaded with swim wear, various Argentine snacks and of course the usual trays of cheap jewellery sold by black Africans. These guys are the only people who give you grief when you pick up a camera within their vicinity. Otherwise it is wonderful to photograph in Argentina, people are friendly and not at all suspicious of photographers as the public has become in the West.

Continue reading 'Don't cry for me'

Who's the lucky one?

Martin Parr

I am currently staying in the Cap Ducal Hotel in Vina del Mar in Chile. This is probably the most memorable hotel I have ever stayed in. As their literature says, "We are not so much by the sea, but ON the sea." Built in 1936, it is an Art Deco-style, concrete-based liner with spectacular views from all the rooms and the restaurant that stretches over three floors. In the morning you can watch the resident seal while you sip your cafe con leche. The hotel is delightfully run down and, as you can imagine, has a loyal and interesting clientèle.

I am here because I am doing a tour of South American beach resorts in the height of summer. Two days earlier, I met a group of Chilean photographers organised by a photographer called Luis Weinstein. He circumnavigates the tricky problem of earning a living in Chile as a photographer by being a TV weather man. He works three hours a day, half the week, and is home to watch himself do the weather after the main TV news. At this most pleasant encounter, I learnt that the main gripe from the photographers is that there is no market for photography, little interest in buying prints, and the magazines are terrible.

Sound familiar?

Continue reading 'Who's the lucky one?'