13
Articulation/thedonotpress

Through its 176 black and white pages, 13 provides a juxtaposition of imagery and words: photographic nudes by Marc Atkins are 'illustrated' with text commissioned from thirteen writers of note, two of whom are former musicians.

The authors range from novelist Julian Rathbone to New York columnist Maggie Estep via Bill Drummond (best known for his part in confrontationist pop/art unit, KLF) and Groupie author, Jenny Fabian. Some, like Nicholas Royle and Stella Duffy, are rising stars of British literature; others, such as biographer James Sallis and journalist Mick Farren (formerly of 60s psych underground garage band The Deviants, 70s band The Pink Fairies and a contributor to NME) are seasoned veterans. All thirteen were given a nude photo and asked to write an accompanying piece.

The results are a mixed bag but always interesting and often provocative. Some of the prose seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the image that precedes it (James Sallis), while other authors seem to have gone to great pains to make their words entirely in keeping with photo (Lauren Henderson). Mick Farren's poetic entry is short yet sublime, former KLF mad man Bill Drummond muses over nudes from Ancient Greece through to Asian Babes circa '98, Maxim Jakubowski's Parisian sojourn is almost pornographic and Miles Gibson goes off on his own journey through an umbilicus.

Arty, yet accessible and some of the nude shots are exquisite. Naturally, it's priced just right at 13 quid.

ADRIAN SMITH