Exscind #1

Exscind #1
36 pages, digest
Limited edition of 100
High quality, slick pages, heavy stock cover
$6 delivered, ($4 media mail)

Adel Souto puts together here a compilation of his work, writing and art, from various eras of his life. Some is previously published, much of it not.

First off, this print version is one of those few that get filed under,  "best value zine publication you'll find anywhere, ever." The only thing I didn't care for about the production was the unattached clear acetate sleeve over the regular cover, (acetate has title in black, card stock has colorful art.) Keeping it all together quickly became a pain in the ass and I discarded it.

The art, primarily photography, ranges from good to great.

The writing is nothing less that polished and professional. How much I liked it varied. The poetry goes in one eye and out the other. There is some whimsical commentary that I find a little trite, (especially when you consider the overall caliber of this writer,) and can only think of as "filler."

However, the bulk of the prose is exceptional. The very best is when Adel writes about himself and his life. There are also bits he does that aren't autobiographical but are written with an almost academic focus. He is intelligent and well read, especially in history.

What ties this all together in a bow is that he's a complex individual with a dark side and plenty of questionable history. Piecing together his intellect, knowledge , criminality, homelessness, and superimposing it over the high quality art he is presenting is fascinating and compelling.

In his attempt to present a cross section of his work he completely succeeds. This is someone to keep an eye on.

Contact to order
adelsouto@adelsouto.com
www.adelsouto.com


review by Jack Cheiky
This zine is being donated to the Cleveland Zine Library after review.