Two galleries at Marc Bibiloni present a tribute exhibition to photographer Martin Parr (1952–2025), built around his most recognisable series and his fashion work. The show, organised with the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol, follows the saturated colour and ring flash that made his style instantly identifiable.
What it is
The first gallery covers the series that define Parr's reputation. The Last Resort (1983–1985) was his introduction to colour and set his trademark: the crowded beaches of New Brighton, with rubbish, crying babies and two children whose faces and clothes are covered in ice cream.
Alongside it is Common Sense (1999), with mass-produced food, heavily painted lips, jewellery, polished nails, sunbaked skin and cheap souvenirs, shot in saturated colour with fragmentary framing and harsh ring flash.
The second gallery turns to fashion. Parr treated clothing as material for studying behaviour, a habit rooted in childhood holidays with his ornithologist parents: fur coats, bouffant hair and painted nails stand in for plumage. He described coming to fashion in perfect, blissful ignorance of designers.
Why it's worth your time
The exhibition is organised with the Martin Parr Foundation and presented as a tribute after his death in December 2025. It puts his best-known beach and consumer series next to his fashion work in a single visit, and it belongs to a wider international reassessment of his career, with shows at the Jeu de Paume in Paris and Foam in Amsterdam. The layout is simple: one gallery for the major series, a second for fashion.
Practical info
The gallery offers private visits by appointment. Requests go to hello@marcbibiloni.com.
FAQ
Is the Martin Parr exhibition in Madrid free?
Yes. Entry to A Matter of Taste at Marc Bibiloni is free. The show is a tribute to the British photographer Martin Parr, and it fills two galleries with his best-known series and his fashion work.
How long is Martin Parr's A Matter of Taste on in Madrid?
The exhibition runs from 11 September to 31 October 2026, about seven weeks in total. The gallery opens Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 19:00 and on Saturdays from 11:00 to 15:00. The opening coincided with APERTURA Madrid Gallery Weekend.
Which Martin Parr series are shown in A Matter of Taste?
The first gallery shows The Last Resort (1983–1985), shot on the beaches of New Brighton, and Common Sense (1999), a close-up study of food, jewellery and souvenirs. The second gallery is devoted to fashion. Both galleries are at Marc Bibiloni.
Who was Martin Parr?
Martin Parr (23 May 1952 to 6 December 2025) was an English documentary photographer known for a satirical, anthropological view of modern life, including the social classes of England and global tourism. He worked in saturated colour with direct flash. The Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol collaborated on this exhibition.
Can you book a private visit to the Martin Parr exhibition in Madrid?
Yes. Marc Bibiloni offers private visits by appointment. Requests go by email to hello@marcbibiloni.com.
