NY: Josephine Meckseper, 1995. 47pp; illus. 4to. Saddle-stapled in photo-illustrated wraps. Sticker ghost/removal scar to front cover base, else fine.
Second of five total issues of this conceptual magazine by German-born artist Josephine Meckseper (b. 1964), which took inspiration from Jean-Paul Marati's French revolutionary newspaper L'Ami du Peuple, while styling itself in the fashion of sensationalist supermarket tabloids. As Meckseper described the concept in a 2016 interview on Flash Art: "The idea was to show art works in a non-elitist, easily digestible form. Photographic reproductions and art images are subverted into a monstrous montage with representations of advertising and propaganda next to fictitious news items." This issue on the theme of "Surrender," with dozens of lurid and lascivious pieces taking satirical aim at the art world. Contributing writers include Matthew Ritchie, Paul Dickerson, Ultra Violet, John Reed, Mike Topp, Richard Ryan, Lucien Carr, et al; contributing artists include Matthew Barney, Julie Becker, Lena Gieseke, Jeff Koons, Alix Lambert, Gordon Matta-Clark, Bruce Nauman, Tony Oursler, Laurie Simmons, Fred Tomaselli, et al. Meckeseper produced four issues of FAT in its initial run between 1994-2000; a fifth issue followed in 2018. Early issues remarkably scarce in the trade; OCLC locates holdings only at MoMA and the Smithsonian. Aarons & Roth, In Numbers, pp. 160-164.
