Tynwald Day exhibit showcases 'national identity'

The Tynwald Day ceremony is held on 5 July every year

A new photo exhibition showcasing images from Tynwald Day 2023 has gone on display to mark the island's national week.

Tynwald Week – photos by Martin Parr, showing at the Manx Museum, features images of the annual ceremony, Viking re-enactments and street fairs in St John's.

Curator Katie King said: "From food and flags to tartan and triskels, this exhibition reveals so much about our national identity."

Hosted by Manx National Heritage (MNH), the exhibition coincides with the issue of a collection of eight stamps with the same images.

The display can be seen at the Manx Museum until October

The photographer, known for documenting the quirks of ordinary life, has shown his work around the world and was commissioned to create the idents for BBC One in 2017.

Supported by a grant from the Isle of Man Arts Council, MNH said the display celebrated the idiosyncrasies of Tynwald Day, showcased "Manx identity and pride" and captured "every facet of such a cherished annual event".

Mr Parr said it was "exciting to visit and take photos... it was all go and many photo opportunities came my way".

He said he "loved" knowing his images would also feature on a stamp collection which meant many people would see them.

"That's the democratic nature of photography, which I fully support."

MNH said the collection captures combination of formality and fun of Tynwald Day

Isle of Man Post Office's Maxine Cannon said the photographer continued "to shape our perception of the world with his insightful lens and we feel incredibly lucky that his fresh perspective on Tynwald Week has been captured in this way".

The display can be seen at the Manx Museum in Douglas until 6 October.

Manx national week features a series of community and cultural events, ranging from a sports day to a guided walk, during the first week in July.

It also sees the open air sitting of Tynwald, the world's oldest continuous parliament, on 5 July.