Photo's at the Barbican and Red 198

Last week at the Martin Parr curated photographic exhibition 'Strange and Familiar' - he's a big figure in taking pictures and his selection of Photo's of the UK by 'foreigners' is stimulating and wide ranging...

A smashing venue

2 for 1 (almost)

I don't often go to the Barbican but it's a smashing location - felt slightly decadent and privileged to spend time there.


The exhibition was across two floors and there were a lot of pictures which justified the cost (£12 or £13 if you take the option of a ticket to see Parr's own exhibition at London's Guildhall).

I looked at the pictures with a companion which perhaps makes the experience more worthwhile in that there's an ongoing discussion - also surprised (perhaps shouldn't be) to see someone from The Design Museum also visiting.

A nice Barbican café too

Too many notable photographers with  so many interpretations of the UK from these non-native photographers to mention them all - but here's a couple of pointers -  - Hans Eijkelboom  who took a series of pictures in Birmingham's Bullring springs to mind , also very good were some extreme  close-ups by the US picture taker Bruce Gilden


Of course it was possible to make reference to Henri Cartier-Bresson, a key figure in photography  who as a non UK picture grabber was also included as one of the photographers selected by Parr.

Red 198

And talking of photographs ..

A pair -discarded