Vivid portraits of village life taken by documentary photographer Martin Parr in the months before his death are now on display at Lacock Abbey. The exhibition features images from his final major commission, a project capturing life in the National Trust village of Lacock, Wiltshire, during the spring and summer of 2025.
Parr, who died in December at the age of 73, was known for his distinctive style of documenting the rituals and absurdities of British life. His work in Lacock included capturing events such as the village's flower show, VE Day celebrations, its annual scarecrow festival, and Women's Institute meetings.
Susie Parr, the photographer's wife, described viewing the photos of these events as a "bittersweet experience." Parr, who resided in Bristol until his passing, gained significant recognition in the mid-1980s for his photographic study of working-class people on holiday in New Brighton, Merseyside.
In 2017, Parr was commissioned by the BBC to create new idents for the broadcaster, aiming to depict an evolving portrait of modern Britain in all its diversity. His exhibition at Lacock Abbey will remain on view until June 2027.
