A team of Mercury and Powells’ staffers are currently hard at work hanging more than 500 prints in the Pearl Room at Powell’s—copies of just about every Mercury cover since 2000, for a show that will overflow the Basil Hayward gallery and spill into the stairwell. Our art directors have done some pretty outstanding work over the years—you’ll recognize art from local and national artists, from Charles Burns to Shepard Fairey to Jim Woodring to… well, lots of folks. (The cover text, too, is kind of a trip. Remember 2002?) There’s an opening reception tomorrow from 6-9 pm, and the prints are available for purchase at $10 a pop—there’s only one poster per cover, so if you’ve got your heart set on something, best stop by tomorrow. (Check out our archives for a taste of what’s up for grabs.) And don’t miss this week’s paper, in which every art director in Mercury history weighs in on their most and least favorite covers. Personally, I like our 9/11 cover a lot—you can see it in the photo up there, right above our current art director Scrappers’ head. How about you guys—favorites? Covers that made you vow never to pick up our trash rag again?
Alison Hallett served nobly as the Mercury's arts editor from 2008-2014. Her proud legacy lives on. More by Alison Hallett
No, I don’t remember 2002, and it’s unkind of you to mention it.
Apr 25 – May 1, 2002: http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/fb63…
I used this as the cover for my math binder! I just loved the sleeping cat!!
Marjorie Skinner all tarted up: http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/3212…
Currently looking for my favorite, but you had Leslie Hall on there clear back in 2005?!?
http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/f440…
This one I mailed to a girl in Australia for her birthday:
http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/4a3a…
An always had a soft spot for this one, I might still have it somewhere:
http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/a6e0…
Robot mammoths! Robot mammoths!
Good pick Graham. I’ve never forgotten this one either. If I remember right, I think her name was Jenna Roadman. I miss you innocent boner! And Katie’s writing which used to tickle my funny boner.
http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/46ec…
THAT HORIZONTAL (ack, sorry, still had my morning voice) one from 2006 probably messes up the wall layout a bit.
http://www.portlandmercury.com/binary/6db8…
This is like that damn 1981 “Energy” issue of National Geographic with its red-ish spine that sticks out like a sore thumb in a sea of yellow spines on a bookshelf.
Wait, Portland wasn’t invented in late 2008?