Opening of Parr’s Ireland

Gallery I at Belfast Exposed was a riot of colour, with dashes of monotone, as it launched the highly anticipated Parr’s Ireland: 40 Years of Photography, a retrospective of work by esteemed British documentary photographer, Martin Parr. Guests at the opening included exhibition producer Tracy Marshall-Grant, Belfast Exposed CEO Deirdre Robb, photographer Sean McKernan, and photographer Clara Scullion

Parr, who has taken photographs in Ireland over a 40 year period, captures a fascinating snapshot of the country from 1979 to 2019 documenting the changing cultural and social norms of Irish life.

This exhibition likewise is constantly evolving, from Parr’s original early black and white photos, to bold and innovative colour photography. As well as a focus on the West of Ireland, where Parr lived from 1980-1982, the exhibition also includes fragments of the 2018 commissioned documentary project on Tourism in Belfast taking into account two key historical events: the legacy of the Titanic and the ‘Troubles’.

Vivid with equal measures of hope and despair, ‘Parr’s Ireland’ is a detailed and scintillating showcase that casts a unique eye over Ireland and all the components that make it what it is today.

As well as Parr’s exceptional exhibition, guests were in for a treat with the opening of two other remarkable exhibitions: ‘Valley of Tears’ by Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Cathal McNaughton, and ‘Strangely Familiar’ by Future Artists talent Samantha

Johnston. ‘Valley of Tears’ which ran in the Studio Gallery until 27 August, is a sobering and empathetic collection of portraits capturing civil unrest in Kashmir. Meanwhile ‘Strangely Familiar’, which runs in Gallery II until 24 September, is an unnerving body of work which uses different types of film to explore common place items combined with the unusual and unexpected. Both insightful exhibitions acted as the perfect accompaniment to Parr’s thought-provoking exhibition, and as a collection, these three compelling showcases highlight what a gem of a gallery Belfast Exposed truly is.

Parr’s Ireland: 40 Years of Photography was opened on 4 August 2022