Tennis in Martin Parr's shots: a major sports exhibition at CAMERA

From Oct. 28, 2021 to Feb. 13, 2022 CAMERA - Italian Center for Photography in Turin presents the major exhibition on sports in the shots of renowned photographer Martin Parr (Epsom, 1952). Martin Parr. We ❤ Sports, this is the title of the exhibition, intends to unite photography and sports through a broad and ironic photographic journey, on the occasion of the first Turin edition of the Nitto ATP Finals.

Curated by Walter Guadagnini with Monica Poggi and realized in collaboration with Gruppo Lavazza, CAMERA’s institutional partner and historic supporter, and with Magnum Photos, the exhibition traces the career of the British photographer through 150 images dedicated to numerous sporting events, in particular devoted to the most relevant tennis tournaments of recent years.

Starting with a selection of rare black-and-white works, the exhibition focuses on the attitudes of people observing and practicing a wide variety of sports in all parts of the world, from horse racing on Irish beaches to Tai Chi on the streets of Shanghai. With the color shots, which Parr began to take beginning in the mid-1980s, the photographer deploys a witty game of critique, aware that he himself is part of the society he cynically portrays. Appropriating the often awkward attitudes and taste for kitsch that characterize the subjects portrayed, Parr rejects a detached and haughty gaze in favor of a language easily understood by anyone. Preferably portrayed in moments of rest rather than during performance, in these shots athletes become the pretext around which actions and situations take place that have rules of their own. What attracts Parr’s attention above all are the fans, with the choreography, the gadgets used to show their cheers, the grotesque disguises and the contrivances of those who try to observe the competitions from a privileged position.

In the exhibition, however, tennis is privileged: Parr has been taking shots of the sport since 2014, since he has had exclusive access to the Grand Slam, the four most prestigious tennis tournaments: the Australian and French Opens, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Parr’s shots, from the most poignant to the most hilarious, offer an extraordinary glimpse of life on and off the court. The images on display are featured in the volume Match Point, published by Phaidon, which includes more than eighty photographs from his most recent work, with a selection of completely new shots.

For info: www.camera.to

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.

Tickets: Full 10 euros, reduced 6 euros for children up to 26 years and over 70 years. Free for children up to 12 years old.

Image: US Open, New York, USA, 2017 © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Tennis in Martin Parr's shots: a major sports exhibition at CAMERA

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