Country Article / Postcards
Focusing on Luxembourg
Date: 01/29/2007The mischievous lens of acclaimed documentary photographer Martin Parr has recently been focused on the Grand Duchy—he was commissioned to do a
series of photographs in December to mark the start of Luxembourg’s year as the official European Capital of Culture. And, as usual, he has not disappointed.
If you have already seen some of his unforgiving images of the English in Think of England—tattoos, sunburned flesh, and lurid deckchairs, as well as herbaceous borders and biscuit selections—you might be forgiven for wondering what he could find in this tiny constitutional monarchy to home in on: Everything here is neat and tidy, respectable and kindly, uncontroversial. Yet in Assorted Cocktail you can see from his latest images (displayed with a selection of other similar series, such as Think of Germany, and observations of Belgians in Knokke-le-Zoute) that he has managed to capture the very essence of Luxembourgers with remorseless clarity and humor: a woman at a restaurant table set for one, with her fur hat laid carefully by the wine glass, like a fluffy chocolate mousse; the close-up of the wealthy fur-cuffed coat and fancily manicured hands—with one finger adorning a BandAid; a vast selection o f sausages and wurst; the kitsch ’60s door handles; and, of course, ingots of gold.
Obviously, there’s more to see than what Parr has picked out—and it’s not easy for us lesser mortals to get a glimpse of so much gold—but I’ll be filling you in on other aspects of the Grand Duchy in the coming months: This exhibition is simply an appetizer.
Assorted Cocktail is currently at La Rotonde 1, 62 rue de Bonnevoie, behind the main train station, Luxembourg City, until April 8, 2007. Photos © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos
Rate this Postcard:
Rating: 3/5 (42 votes cast)