Mass appeal

Martin Parr's images can make you laugh, cringe and even feel a little nauseous. For over 30 years, they have pitilessly captured the populist end of contemporary culture (particularly luxury, leisure and tourism) and rendered them faintly ridiculous.

Parr crowns Derby photofest

Derby doesn't immediately spring to mind as being much of an artistic hub, but when it comes to photography, it's the place to be right now. Since 2005, the city has played host to the Format Photography Festival - which is clearly making a name for itself because this year it boasts Magnum photographer Martin Parr as one of its patrons and film director David Lynch as one of its participants.

End of the pier show

Martin Parr has made a career out of photographing end-of-the-pier Britain. He's spent decades seeking out the brash and banal at seaside resorts, amusement arcades, cafes and shops (see Bored Couple, above) so as to document a society wallowing in the comforts of consumerism, leisure and tourism. Parr's voyeuristic and typically garish critiques of modern life earned him his coveted membership at Magnum Photos in 1994 - but only just.