Martin Parr - Signed - Small World - 2018
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Description from the seller
Martin Parr: Small World (Signed Copy)
Few photobooks have captured the rise of global tourism with the wit, precision and critical insight of Martin Parr's Small World. First published in 1995, this landmark work examines the transformation of travel into a mass cultural phenomenon, revealing how iconic destinations around the world have become stages for increasingly standardized tourist experiences.
Photographing famous landmarks across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America, Parr turns his unmistakable eye toward the rituals of sightseeing. Visitors armed with cameras, maps, souvenirs and guidebooks become central characters in images filled with humour, irony and vibrant colour. Beneath the playful surface, Small World offers a sharp observation of globalization, consumer culture and the ways in which tourism shapes both people and places.
Rather than focusing on monuments themselves, Parr directs his attention to the behaviour of those who visit them. Crowds posing for photographs, queuing at attractions or purchasing souvenirs become visual metaphors for a world where travel is increasingly defined by shared expectations and familiar experiences. His saturated palette, dynamic compositions and impeccable timing transform everyday moments into memorable social commentaries.
Widely regarded as one of the defining photobooks of the 1990s, Small World remains one of Martin Parr's most celebrated publications and a cornerstone of contemporary documentary photography. Its relevance has only grown as international tourism has continued to expand, making the book as insightful today as when it first appeared.
This particular copy is especially desirable as it has been personally signed by Martin Parr. A signed example adds a unique and highly personal dimension to one of the photographer's most iconic publications, making it particularly appealing for collectors and admirers of Parr's work. Combining the significance of this landmark project with the author's signature, this edition represents an exceptional opportunity to own one of the essential Photography Books of the late twentieth century.
Seller's Story
Dartbooks is a specialized photography bookshop based in Barcelona, dedicated to photobooks, rare and out-of-print editions, and historically significant publications. With a strong focus on Japanese photography, Dartbooks was founded to provide continuity to a field that requires depth, expertise, and careful curation.
The bookshop was established after the closure of Kowasa, a landmark reference for photography books in Spain. Its disappearance left a clear gap for photographers, collectors, and institutions in need of a space with a serious and knowledgeable approach to the photobook. Dartbooks emerged in response to that need, not as a replacement, but as part of the natural evolution of a cultural ecosystem.
Dartbooks operates with a curatorial mindset, shaped by long-term engagement with photography and book collecting. The project functions as a book hunting platform for collectors, professionals, and libraries worldwide, and also provides advisory support to other bookshops seeking to develop coherent and specialized photography collections.
The catalogue includes new publications, rare and out-of-print titles, monographs, retrospectives, self-published works, signed copies, and editions produced directly by photographers through their own imprints. The selection reflects a sustained commitment to photography as a form of visual narration, where images construct meaning beyond text.
Although rooted in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona, Dartbooks serves an international audience. Its community includes collectors, professionals, and institutions from France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and beyond, both through the physical space and the online platform.
Dartbooks understands the photobook not merely as an object of consumption, but as a cultural artifact that documents artistic practices, historical contexts, and personal visions. The bookshop functions simultaneously as a place of discovery, an archive in constant growth, and a point of connection between photographers, publishers, and readers.
Martin Parr: Small World (Signed Copy)
Few photobooks have captured the rise of global tourism with the wit, precision and critical insight of Martin Parr's Small World. First published in 1995, this landmark work examines the transformation of travel into a mass cultural phenomenon, revealing how iconic destinations around the world have become stages for increasingly standardized tourist experiences.
Photographing famous landmarks across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America, Parr turns his unmistakable eye toward the rituals of sightseeing. Visitors armed with cameras, maps, souvenirs and guidebooks become central characters in images filled with humour, irony and vibrant colour. Beneath the playful surface, Small World offers a sharp observation of globalization, consumer culture and the ways in which tourism shapes both people and places.
Rather than focusing on monuments themselves, Parr directs his attention to the behaviour of those who visit them. Crowds posing for photographs, queuing at attractions or purchasing souvenirs become visual metaphors for a world where travel is increasingly defined by shared expectations and familiar experiences. His saturated palette, dynamic compositions and impeccable timing transform everyday moments into memorable social commentaries.
Widely regarded as one of the defining photobooks of the 1990s, Small World remains one of Martin Parr's most celebrated publications and a cornerstone of contemporary documentary photography. Its relevance has only grown as international tourism has continued to expand, making the book as insightful today as when it first appeared.
This particular copy is especially desirable as it has been personally signed by Martin Parr. A signed example adds a unique and highly personal dimension to one of the photographer's most iconic publications, making it particularly appealing for collectors and admirers of Parr's work. Combining the significance of this landmark project with the author's signature, this edition represents an exceptional opportunity to own one of the essential Photography Books of the late twentieth century.
Seller's Story
Dartbooks is a specialized photography bookshop based in Barcelona, dedicated to photobooks, rare and out-of-print editions, and historically significant publications. With a strong focus on Japanese photography, Dartbooks was founded to provide continuity to a field that requires depth, expertise, and careful curation.
The bookshop was established after the closure of Kowasa, a landmark reference for photography books in Spain. Its disappearance left a clear gap for photographers, collectors, and institutions in need of a space with a serious and knowledgeable approach to the photobook. Dartbooks emerged in response to that need, not as a replacement, but as part of the natural evolution of a cultural ecosystem.
Dartbooks operates with a curatorial mindset, shaped by long-term engagement with photography and book collecting. The project functions as a book hunting platform for collectors, professionals, and libraries worldwide, and also provides advisory support to other bookshops seeking to develop coherent and specialized photography collections.
The catalogue includes new publications, rare and out-of-print titles, monographs, retrospectives, self-published works, signed copies, and editions produced directly by photographers through their own imprints. The selection reflects a sustained commitment to photography as a form of visual narration, where images construct meaning beyond text.
Although rooted in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona, Dartbooks serves an international audience. Its community includes collectors, professionals, and institutions from France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and beyond, both through the physical space and the online platform.
Dartbooks understands the photobook not merely as an object of consumption, but as a cultural artifact that documents artistic practices, historical contexts, and personal visions. The bookshop functions simultaneously as a place of discovery, an archive in constant growth, and a point of connection between photographers, publishers, and readers.
Details
Number of books
1
Subject
Photography
Book title
Signed - Small World
Author/ Illustrator
Martin Parr
Condition
Very good
Publication year oldest item
2018
Height
24.5 cm
Edition
Revised edition
Width
30 cm
Language
English
Original language
Yes
Publisher
Dewi Lewis
Binding/ Material
Hardback
Extras
Signed by author
Number of pages
104
