Australian photographer Trent Parke will exhibit his incredible new work Monument in its European premiere next month at the Martin Parr Foundation in the UK.
Organized as part of the Bristol Photo Festival's 2024 program, Monument brings together 25 years of capturing unique street images in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia, "creating a portal through which we witness the disintegration of the universe".
Last year Monument was published in an exceptional photography book by Stanley/Barker, transforming the huge body of work into a single narrative that has been one of my photography highlights of the year. As with all Stanley / Barker titles, Monument transports the viewer into the world the photographer created, and the exhibition will no doubt follow suit.
Trent Parke moved to Sydney from a smaller farming town and was struck by the sheer amount of people, and sought to photograph them at any opportunity. As an observer of the hustle and bustle of city life, Parke captured workers on their daily commute, in the rush hour traffic where people are between worlds.
Parke became fascinated with chasing the light when shooting in the street, leading to exceptionally beautiful and at times otherworldly black-and-white images. In addition to street scenes, Monument depicts other detailed shots that lend themselves perfectly to the narrative that Parke weaves through the book.
"At night I would watch the eclipse of moths, millions of them constantly circling the lights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge," says Parke, speaking on Monument.
"At the same time, on my balcony, a miniature performance played out around the light above my head. The moths inevitably and without resistance were drawn to their ultimate demise. Spiralling out of control, like small space-ships caught in a tractor beam."
Monument by Trent Parke explores themes of identity, place, and community and demands to be viewed in person which you can do from October 3 to December 22, 2024, at the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol, UK.
Although the first and second editions sold out in record time, the final edition of the book Monument by Trent Parke is still available from Stanley / Barker – a must-have for any photography book aficionados' shelf.
