Martin Parr: Dubai

On a trip to Dubai in March 2008, Parr will produce a series of works that capture candid shots of the city’s crème de la crème at the most fabulous and flamboyant events – the Dubai World Cup and the Cartier Polo World Cup. These images will make up a section of his most recent documentary series called Luxury, an investigation into how people spend their money.

Magnum photographer Parr says of the Dubai World Cup, “I love the melting pot of Dubai and events held there like the Dubai World Cup. It is probably one of the most democratically attended events in the world.”

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Martin Parr: Dubai will also feature photographs taken at last years DIFC Art Fair and Dubai World Cup documenting social interactions within the city.

Parr is a distinguished documentary photographer whose work focuses on people, places and the everyday. His work encompasses a banality with a certain irony, wit and critical eye for social occurrences. Parr’s photographs take a look at contemporary social transactions, within consumerism, specifically tourism, family, relationships, and food, making Dubai the perfect subject for his latest project
About his Luxury series Parr explains, “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.”

Parr uses amateur film combined with flash photography to create his images. He believes his pictures already use "the language of advertising", making them more accessible. His work is often discerning, honest and straight forward: capturing moments which leave the viewer often unsure of weather to laugh or cry.

In recent years fashion photography has become an important context for Parr to explore, including the highly stylised advertisement for Louis Vuitton.

“Art and the appreciation of art, has never been more prevalent in the Middle East than today. And no city more so than in Dubai, where both galleries and exhibitions within them, are now firmly reinforcing their presence in the social infrastructure of this exciting and gregarious city. We are delighted to be proudly supporting the up and coming photography exhibition by celebrated Magnum photographer Martin Parr at the Third Line Gallery, with his work entitled simply 'Dubai'," says Damien Vernet, country Manager of Louis Vuitton Middle East and India.

This exhibition has been produced with the support and association of Louis Vuitton.

Martin Parr: Dubai is also supported by
HP are the print sponsors of the exhibition. The photographs at the exhibition are printed on HP’s latest offering- the HP Designjet Z3100 which expands HP’s professional printing portfolio with an automated, intuitive experience in image reproduction for creative professionals.