Subversive Sell

The photo of artist Josephine Meckseper modeling in the New York Times Magazine may be the artist's cleverest creation yet. The magazine's Mother Day spread featured women wearing something that belonged to their mother along with top designers' clothing. In her installations, Meckseper likes to mix images of consumerism and political protest. Although the image of Meckseper is subtler than her art, it still hits the same plot points. Meckseper wears two necklaces: her mom's star pendant and her own creation, which she created by "[converting] the gold chain that the pendant was hanging on into an artwork called 'CDU-CSU,' mocking German right-wing politics by turning the two parties' logos into pendants," she says. Completing the high concept image, Meckseper wears a $2,290 Stella McCartney suit.