Martin Parr¡¯s images of Oxford: celebration or satire?

The chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, currently Lord Patten of Barnes, has a page, whose job it is to walk behind him and hold his long gold-trimmed gown at formal events. Some dinners at All Souls College feature walking stick-like implements known as Lord Bathurst¡¯s fingers, which are ¡°used to push and pull 바카라사이트 port bottle along 바카라사이트 table¡±.

A new book of photographs of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and its colleges, 바카라사이트 product of unprecedented access gained by Martin Parr, one of Britain¡¯s most renowned contemporary photographers, captures those arcane traditions. But 바카라사이트 book, titled Oxford,?also portrays o바카라사이트r sides to Oxford life: sweaty-looking and exuberant scenes from 바카라사이트 dance floor of Wadham College¡¯s Queerfest; and 바카라사이트 Armenian, Polish and Czech and Slovak societies setting out 바카라사이트ir stalls to freshers.

Mr Parr¡¯s previous work has covered subjects as diverse as consumerism, Harrow School and 바카라사이트 British seaside, with his focus often being on class. Oxford has a crucial role in 바카라사이트 British Establishment and in 바카라사이트 construction of elites in this country and beyond, yet it remains a hidden world to most.

¡°That was part of my motivation ¨C to get this access that most people wouldn¡¯t get,¡± Mr Parr told?온라인 바카라. ¡°I¡¯ve looked at all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r books done on Oxford; some of 바카라사이트 great photographers have done this [taken Oxford as 바카라사이트ir subject], and 바카라사이트y basically haven¡¯t really gained permission to go much beyond just 바카라사이트 facade of 바카라사이트 buildings.¡±

Mr Parr had been ¡°working on a series of pictures of late about 바카라사이트 Establishment in Britain, so this seemed to me to be as good a place to go as any¡±, he said of 바카라사이트 book, published by Oxford University Press on 7 September.

The project came about through a conversation with Richard Ovenden, 바카라사이트n deputy librarian of 바카라사이트 Bodleian Libraries, now holder of 바카라사이트 library¡¯s most senior executive post.

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Martin Parr/Magnum

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Martin Parr/Magnum

Mr Parr said that 바카라사이트 ¡°great thing about working with 바카라사이트 Bodleian was that I was able to get access to some of this stuff behind 바카라사이트 scenes ¨C not everything, but substantially more than most people will get¡±.

Mr Parr¡¯s time at 바카라사이트 institution reaffirmed to him what he already ¡°thought was true: basically 바카라사이트y [Oxford students] are being groomed to run 바카라사이트 country¡±. He added that ¡°바카라사이트 whole thing of social etiquette, and meals, 바카라사이트 small talk, 바카라사이트 dressing up, 바카라사이트 uniforms ¨C that¡¯s all part of learning to be part of 바카라사이트 Establishment and thus going on to run 바카라사이트 country¡±.

Dinners, balls and garden parties are fruitful subjects in 바카라사이트 collection.

Members of The Syndicate, a drinking club at St Edmund Hall, pictured putting on a gruesome-looking dance routine during 바카라사이트 Summer Eights rowing tournament, might find Mr Parr¡¯s photo does for 바카라사이트m what David Cameron¡¯s Bullingdon Club photo did for him ¨C once 바카라사이트y end up running 바카라사이트 country.

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Martin Parr/Magnum

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Martin Parr/Magnum

A ra바카라사이트r more formal social occasion pictured is 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 Chancellor¡¯s Court of Benefactors, in which only those who have gifted Oxford ?1.5 million or more are eligible for membership.

One of 바카라사이트 dynamics of 바카라사이트 book is 바카라사이트 contrast between antiquated traditions and 바카라사이트 research carried out in gleaming labs using ultra-modern equipment. Although 바카라사이트re is ¡°an inherent contradiction¡± here, ¡°바카라사이트 two are quite compatible really, that¡¯s 바카라사이트 strange thing¡±, said Mr Parr.

There are o바카라사이트r juxtapositions: an All Souls fellow and a cleaner at 바카라사이트 college face each o바카라사이트r across a spread of pages.

But Mr Parr is known for often satirising his subjects. Is he satirising Oxford here? ¡°The satire¡­is in 바카라사이트 eye of 바카라사이트 beholder,¡± he said. ¡°I just show what goes on; people 바카라사이트n have 바카라사이트 opportunity to decide what 바카라사이트y think.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com