The mysterious P239 is the author of this one-man show, a collection of his illustration work since 1999, published by Bruno Gmünder. The book boasts an original structure: instead of a random series of images, it is said to be a rêverie during a subway trip, where a man tells himself stories and imagines situations. It’s a fun way of giving a little bit more to the reader than just hot pictures, and actually dovetails nicely with the style used by the author, which has a dream-like quality thanks to its highly stylised representation of bodies and settings.
The juxtaposition of text (mostly ramblings detailing sexual encounters) and art (usually not illustrating the text) creates an interesting effect, especially with the design effects used on the text, highlighting or crossing it out in various colors. In fact, there’s a strong sense of design throughout the book, which isn’t surprising considering P239 works in advertising. I must admit I wasn’t really convinced by the porn texts, which are pretty much run-of-the-mill, but the way they’re presented on the page gives them a shine which makes up for that.
The most surprising section of the book shows quotations from Shakespeare (after a text where Oberon and Puck have wild sex), with some highly decorated art which could have come from an Aubrey Beardsley who’d decided to simplify a bit and draw with vector art, if that makes sense. I’d have liked to see more of that kind of art, but then, I like weird combinations.
You can see for yourself examples of P239′s art on his website, and you can find the book at Amazon.
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