Martin Parr releases new book documenting abandoned old bangers in Ireland

Martin Parr has released a new limited edition book titled Abandoned Morris Minors of the West of Ireland, focused entirely on the dilapidated old bangers he’s discovered across the area. Featuring rarely seen images from Parr’s archive, the series documents a very specific niche beautifully, curated for the book by editor Craig Atkinson. 

Though known best for capturing the normality of humankind, Parr’s photos of Morris Minors seem to attach personality to the vehicles in their ruin, while indirectly depicting the landscapes of Ireland. One sits roadside, devoid of its hood, in a flat, desolate terrain; another peeks animal-like above long grasses. Others are closer to becoming more closely integrated with nature, overtaken by weeds and sinking into lakes, even inhabited by chickens. The cover shows a ramshackle car in a bleary, rainy scene, the perspective almost flattened by the subtle light gradient.

Shot in black and white, the images come together as an succint series, blending the forgotten cars with their natural environs and giving the book a uniform feel. 

The 36-page, digitally printed book is published in an edition of 500 by Café Royal Books, available to order from 8pm 5 April.