Photographer Martin Parr, whose socially critical images have earned him acclaim both in the UK and around the world, will be coming to Japan with his new work, "Life's a Beach." Martin Parr was born in Epsom, Surrey, in 1952. He studied photography at the University of Manchester and, after graduating in 1975, began teaching at art schools in Dublin and elsewhere in the UK. Considered a pioneer of the new color movement, his unique color photographs reflect his distinctive perspective on society. He was an early initiator of photography exhibitions, and since 1974 his works have been exhibited in the UK, the US, Europe, Japan, and China. Many of his works are included in the collections of museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Paris, London, and Tokyo. In 2002, a retrospective was held at the Barbican Art Gallery in London. In 2007, he held the exhibition "Fashion Magazine" at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum and simultaneously held the photo exhibition "Paul Smith @ Ilford" at the Paul Smith Space Gallery in Tokyo, demonstrating his strong affinity with fashion.

He is also one of the most famous documentary photographers working today, and is one of the world's leading photo book collectors, known as an expert in the field of art photo books.

His new work, "Life's a Beach," documents the time-honored traditions of the beach, captured over decades of photography: sunbathers sleeping, swimmers jumping into the water, and people stalking the endless sand in search of a picnic spot.

"You'll always see vendors on the beach, this is true all over the world. Ice cream in Brighton, ear-cleaning vendors in the Indian resort of Goa, whole roasted fish in Chile, noodle dishes in China -- it's the perfect place for street vendors. Just by going to the beach, you can see what's going on in that country. The beach is a rare public space where you can transcend culture and become aware of the mundane everyday life and national character of a country," he says, expressing beach life from his unique perspective, making this work a highlight.

To coincide with his visit to Japan, a signing session will be held at Daikanyama T-Site Bookstore No. 1 from 3pm to 5pm on April 21st for purchasers of Martin Baer's new photo book.