Open. No. 1. (Février 1967) – No. 3. (Janvier 1968). (All Published).

Nice.: Marcel Alocco., 1967 – 1968.. Original publisher's printed wrappers, stapled as issued, titles and illustration in black to front covers, advertisments and publication details to rear.. 3 vols. 8vo. (230 x 162 mm + 242 x 158 mm).. Printed text in French and English with some monochrome illustration (see below). A fine complete set of this scarce and short-lived Niçoise art review.With contributions, in the first issue, from George Brecht, Jacques Lepage, Ben Vautier, Henri Chopin, Emmet Williams and a review of Daniel Spoerri's 'Topographie Anecdotée de la Chance' by the editor Marcel Alocco, 'Open' declares itself very much of the south of France. Advertisements include those for 'La Cédille Qui Sourit', the artist-run shop, or rather 'non-shop' - the raison-d'etre was to eschew typical commercial activities - of Brecht and Filliou in Villefranche-sur-Mer, the gallery of Jacques Matarasso and the Galerie de la Salle.Issue 2 from May '67 features contributions by Giuseppe Chiari, Erik Dietmann (an extract from his 'in praiase of salad .... &c.'), George Brecht's section on 'artists and dealers' (an appreciation of Cologne's Galerie der Spiegel), Guy Rottier's illustrated 'maison extensible escargot', Robert Pinget on 'Albert Chubac', the usual exhibition reviews and so on. Advertisements include those for the 'ICA BULLETIN', the announcement of the publication of George Brecht's 'The Book of the Tumbler on Fire' by Galerie Schwarz and so on. Issue 2 also features, inserted loose, the printed announcement of the appearance of issue 2 and seeking subscriptions for further issues.The final number, issue 3, was delayed until January '68 but is rather more extensive and international than the previous and features George Brecht on Joe Jones, contributions by Cavan McCarthy, Ben Vautier ('Ben vend des idées pour réussir discrétion assuré'), P. A. Gette's 'totem', Julien Blaine, John Sharkey, Daniela Palazzoli, the collaborative 'Vers un Salon du Matériel Mental' and so on. The rear wrapper includes the note: 'à partir du prochain numéro (4) OPEN change de formule et devient quelque chose d'autre ; affiche, objet, carte postale, etc... et même une revue ... '.The illustrated covers show an image from George Brecht's 'The Book of the Tumbler on Fire' (no. 1), Ben Vautier's 1959 'Mort à l'Opression' (no. 2) and Joe Jones' 'music plant 1964' (no. 3).'Open' is scarce and outside France (OCLC reports examples at the BNF, Bibliothèque Kandinsky, Bibliothèqe-Littéraire Jacques Doucet and the Bibliothèque d'Art et d'Archéologie) we can locate only an incomplete set at MoMA (2 numbers only) and another at London's Chelsea College of Arts. The Fondaziopne Bonotto holds a complete set.[not in Le Fonds Paul Destribats].