About

meat is a series of home-made smut ‘zines’ featuring the very personal work of a London based editorial photographer Adrian Lourie (www.adrianlourie.co.uk).

meat is a hybrid of an idea formed over a greasy spoon fry-up one hung-over Sunday afternoon, inspired by the recent popular crop of largely American post-BUTT zines exploring different aspects of gay culture and lifestyle.

meat one was loosely themed as ‘Models Own’ and was a simple, black and white photocopied 12 page zine and featured a distinct collection of models, friends, Facebook acquaintances and Craigslist/Gumtree respondents who all drop their trousers to show off their underwear for Adrian and his camera. The result was an honest and humorous cross-section of portraits exploring the diversity of the gay community.

Proving an instant hit, meat one was quickly selling out at Prowler Soho, Printed Matter NYC and Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago, as well as via an online blog entitled ‘meat products.’

meat two followed in November - a study of London student Richard who contacted Adrian through the meat products blog with an interest in posing for the zine. “Richard had never been photographed before,” says Adrian. “I asked him to get naked and at first he wasn’t sure. But it was a bit of a journey for him, which fitted perfectly with the journey I’m taking in producing the zine. He’s really pleased and proud of the work we did, and so am I!”

As well as Richard, meat two included a 6x4 colour print but also a full-colour pull-out centrefold and pork chop pin badge.

meat three, published in March 2011 was a fat 40 pages and featured 11 guys in various states of undress as well as another colour print and pull-out colour centerfold. meat three attracted a great deal of press attention with features in Out in the City, Gay Times, Out There and Attitude Magazine. It was also available to buy from the prestigious Tate Modern in London.

In June of this year Adrian published meat four, the biggest issue to date, which as well as a colour print and double sided poster, this was the first issue of meat to be published in full colour, with a new design and editorial content. Adrian also took the opportunity to increase the print run of meat four from 100 to 250, with a limited edition signed and numbered version available only via the blog.

meat is for everyone in the gay community, singles out no one, and truly celebrates its diversity.

meat in its further editions will include individual studies, collections of men, naked and clothed, with a few surprises along the way. It is now selling in stores from the USA to Australia and across Europe.

“It’s a great showcase for my personal work and doesn’t have any other purpose than to be visually interesting and a cool thing to collect,” says Adrian.

If you’re a fan of British cheesecake, underpants, hairy chests and beards, meat is a must-have.