Festivals Extra: Linework NW This Weekend

The Linework NW show is this weekend. That's the one from Jason Leivian and Zack Soto. It's the alt-/arts- show in town. This approach distinguishes it from the city of Portland's Rose City show, a popular, rising convention that I would describe as more mainstream-leaning/indy-friendly.

I really like Linework NW. I can't go this year because of some personal travel restrictions, but I'll miss not being there and I hope to go back in future years if they continue doing it. To me, it's right up there with the Brooklyn shows which Gabe Fowler does and what I hear about FLUKE as almost neighborhood shows, ideally experienced as something to attend in hangout mode, and use as a springboard to loll about, and eat nearby and drink nearby and walk back to your hotel when you've put enough intoxicating things into your body, when you've had enough terrifying conversation about how old your friends' kids are. It's difficult for me to imagine Linework NW ever having national ambitions, which makes it a rare, rare show for the sake of being a show. It feels like it's in competition with a hundred yard parties more than it is any other comics show.

I like the Norse Hall where the show takes place. I'm particularly fond of the strategy they use to have one-day exhibitors so as to diversify its offerings without making for a bigger, maybe not better, experience. I love that their special guests draw from illustration and comics and I'm only really familiar with one of four. I like that there's a bar built into the exhibit space and that in 2015 I always found a seat. I love that they're trying a pop-up retailer space downstairs this year.

If you're within 90 minutes or so, I hope you'll stop by and look around. If you're a rich person who can be the show's benefactor, I hope you'll stop by and write them a check with the promise that it not change too much. I worry that every year may be its last from simple exhaustion and because a fragile set of circumstances as makes a show like this one simply becomes thin and falls apart. If you're going, have fun! Buy something from Josh Simmons, Jason Shiga (he's a genius, you know) or Daria Tessler. Get something from the food truck. Stand around telling jokes.
 
posted 10:25 pm PST | Permalink
 

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