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Chris Boot Ltd.
64 Pages
57 Photographs
13.5 x 21 cm
5.3 x 8.2 "
2009
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This new book by Martin Parr is a celebration of culture and behaviour on the beaches of five countries within Latin America. They are Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Argentina and Chile. Each of these countries has a different approach to their beach life, and these differences are vividly shown and illustrated with humour in these resulting images.
If you are in Argentina’s largest resort, Mar de la Plata, you are very likely to be drinking mate, a herbal tea, much loved in Argentina and Uruguay whereas elsewhere you will drink beer or coke. Should you be on the beach in Rio, you will most probably be wearing a swim suit of a very skimpy nature whereas in Mexico’s Acapulco you will be bathing in a tee shirt. Despite these differences, some common traits run through this whole series of beach scenes. Wherever you are in Latin America you are very likely to have a great variety of food, snacks, drinks and souvenirs offered to you as you sunbathe and sit on the beach. The constant trail of vendors creates a cast of great characters. All this activity plays perfectly into the hands of Martin Parr, as he delights in the wonderful surreal scenes and creates a tapestry of images of Latin American beach life.
This book, produced by RM publishers in Mexico City (in association with Chris Boot, London) is unique as the design and printing were undertaken by small companies, in order to replicate the spirit of the pulp novel. An exhibition of Playas will be shown in spring/ summer 2009 in Buenos Aires, Santiago and Paris and in 2010 it will go to Sao Paulo.
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