In Small World cultures are commodified, confused and thrown up in all sorts of places, the thing is that we now expect to find a McDonalds in Thailand, and for that matter, everywhere else. Parr skillfully arranges this information into a narrative which is intentionally without principle or law, but is no revelation. The big problem with Small World is that work inconsistently spans eight years. Although specific trips were made to carry out this work, the impression is, that for purely logistical reasons some locations were included just because Parr happened to be there. Because of this certain images seem to be token inclusions, not greatly contributing to the whole.

Martin Parr’s trademarks are witty and intelligent observations of late C20th goings on. His satirical approach and uncompromising intentions account for popularity and accorded respect. For my money his work succeeds when it becomes more politically charged and delivers a harsher, more relevant and less cynical version of ourselves, one which doesn’t give itself up too easily. With this project, few enigmas appear unless borne by the medium itself. Like his subjects, from Global hippies to Packaged families on the continent, Parr appears to glide over the surface tension of the world only hanging together for the sake of re-appropriated translations of the past.

There appears to be no escape.

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