I will soon be deciding which mag gets my subscription dosh. I have narrowed it down to Frieze and Art Monthly which I have alternated between for the last few years. For me they are on opposite ends of the popular art mag spectrum, Frieze is kind of fun and accessible and very a la mode, but I'm put off a bit because I have a feeling the people involved are a bit cliquey and pretentious and trendy... is Frieze part of what is wrong with our world? It is also ridiculously thick with advertising, but having said that, I like the ads... so where does that leave me?
Art Monthly on the other hand is a very worthy publication, not much fun but I feel a better person for having struggled through it. I enjoy the editorial, news from the art world, comings and goings etc., but I find the articles a bit boring, a bit obscure and generally too academic. Is it only me? Which should I go for this time? Are there any ones you'd recommend that I might have missed?
(As it happens, I have had reason to email both mags on completely separate occasions in the past and I received a very helpful, friendly response from the guy at Frieze and a snotty one from the nasty man at Art Monthly. Kind of what you'd expect! Why should I support a rude magazine when I can make friends with a polite one? Feel me?)