It takes a village to raise a bookstore.
Kwago, along with Purveyr magazine, is starting the decade with a new bookstore and publishing lab in Bangkal, Makati this February 29, 2020, 1PM. The two independent initiatives will launch its new home to create more opportunities for writers, artists, readers to (re)discover and deepen their love for reading, literature and print.
“It’s not surprising why people think print is dying. If you look at the retail landscape, mainstream culture seems to have no interest and is not willing to financially support it. But Purveyr still believes in print, which is why we still produce our annual printed magazine. This is one of the reasons why we decided to offer a space to Kwago. To change people’s minds about print and magazines, we’d have to do more. I hope that through this partnership, we could make a dent, however small that dent is,” says Purveyr founder Marvin Conanan.
In the new space, Kwago will continue its ongoing programs and start new initiatives adapting to their new context. Part bookstore, part library, part exhibition space, the new location will be a platform for new or lesser known approaches in reading, writing and publishing with a particular focus on graphic literature, rare magazines and artist books.
“Kwago’s new space is going to focus on distribution, developing literary exhibitions, talks and workshops to inspire cultural production and experimentation. We always had an intertextual approach to understanding literature and we just want to refine and improve that method to keep reading alive in Makati,” says Kwago founder Czyka Tumaliuan.
“What I am excited about is this time around, I am not the only one who will be solely responsible for the shop but a collective: co-owners of Purveyr Marvin Conanan and Sara Martinez, the former curator of 1335 Mabini Roy Voragen, self-published feminist Bea Constantino, self-taught visual artist and zine maker Rai Hamid, entrepreneur and Warehouse Eight co-founder Kayla Dionisio and more. Our personal passions, strengths and artistic positions will be in the mix and I’m excited to see our energies combust in the coming years,” she added.
For the launching on the 29th, Comma, Kwago’s publishing and curatorial platform initiated by Roy Voragen and Czyka Tumaliuan, curated a 24-hour transient exhibit that expires in a day.
“Comma has always been a platform to explore what exhibitions could become, and we want to continue showing people possibilities through our shows,” said Tumaliuan.
“We want to push conversations about printed matter into different directions by meeting new people in a new space. It’s a space where we take our mistakes seriously, where we can place our mistakes in a different light (and after dark, we can laugh about them). With our programming, we aim for a mix between lightness and criticality shared with old friends, new friends and strangers,” according to Kwago curator and co-owner Roy Voragen.
With a mission to elevate the discourse and experience of language and print as a discipline and art form, Kwago and Purveyr are creating a 24-hour long program for its launch:
- 24 hours: a transient group show that expires after a day
- Kwadro: a series of comic arts exhibitions made for the public installed at the window of the new space (curated by Czyka Tumaliuan)
- Komura; Creators Grant Winners Launch: Marren Adan, Val Angeles and Kristian Dalao present their zine and share their experience of the collaborative project
- Komura; Studio: Warehouse Eight co-founder Kayla Dionisio and Kwago founder Czyka Tumaliuan will hold a forum on the importance of having a business acumen in starting and keeping a 100% independent initiatives afloat
- Graveyard Shift: performances from dusk till dawn!
- Sunrise gigs curated by Kurvine Chua by United Cassettes
- A play by Carlo Paulo Pacolor
- Open mic for intimate readings and spoken word performances
Everyone is invited. ENTRANCE FEE: pay what you can.
Apply here to join as an artist for 24 hours.
Follow event page for updates.
