Lisbon Illustration and Comics Salon 2005

The Salão Lisboa de Ilustração e Banda Desenhada was an annual festival of illustration and comics organised by the Bedeteca de Lisboa — the city's dedicated comics library. The first edition was held in October 1998 in the premises of the former Abel Pereira da Fonseca wine warehouse in Marvila, and six further annual editions followed in various locations, with the last taking place in 2006 at the Portugal Pavilion in Parque das Nações. The 2005 edition, therefore, has been among the final and most mature of these gatherings, reflecting years of accumulated experience in platforming Portuguese and international graphic arts talent. The choice of the Abel Pereira da Fonseca warehouse as the founding venue was highly symbolic. Frequently referred to as the "Wine Cathedral" on account of its cellars and striking Art Nouveau façade of 1917. In 1998, the company ceded the warehouse space to the Lisbon City Council for cultural and tourism revitalisation activities integrated into the "Caminho do Oriente" programme, linked to Expo 98, encompassing live music, public art, exhibitions, and gastronomy. This industrial yet architecturally rich setting gave the Salão Lisboa a distinctive, counter-cultural energy that perfectly suited the irreverent world of comics and illustration it celebrated.