Initially conceived as the focal point within the Men Talk screenprint series, Meat Club marries advertisements, photography, and original illustrations sourced from vintage gay magazines dating from 1970 to 1995. More than just a display of smutty iconography, "Meat Club" provides a peek into a diverse collection of graphic work carefully selected from hundreds of pages of pornographic publications.
The collage elements were sourced from a diverse range of magazines, zines, and other alternative vintage publications, including Bulk Male, Advocate Male, Bear Magazine, and more. My goal was to select pieces featuring playful copy, distinctive typefaces, unique illustrations, and iconic photography. Ultimately, I aimed to showcase the incredible creativity and craftsmanship that went into producing these publications years ago.
After finalizing the designs in monotone, I added a secondary layer for the pink highlights, incorporating them into the screen printing process.
After the release at Iskra Print Collective, I worked with Shawn from Shelter Cultivation Project to adapt these designs for an apparel capsule. Shawn made subtle adjustments to the graphic on the back, tweaking the color placements slightly to align with his other apparel pieces. For the hero design, Shawn purchased a Billy Doll, dressed it in a miniature version of the shirt with the "Meat Club" text, and photographed it to be used on the front of the tee.
