Book Latté art space is acquiescent to City of Love
Book Latté is an art space acquiescent to Iloilo City’s ethos as the City of Love with its elephant symbol which stands for love, art, and wisdom. “We brew novels,” over a cup of coffee the emblem declares, yet the same is true with art having devoted its mezzanine for small art shows.
The mission of Book Latté reflects the character and aspiration of the Ilonggos, which is to foster simple living, appreciate tasteful food, enrich the love of reading, encourage creativity and art, and allow the community’s fondness for coffee to grow.
The library café is a realization of Cristina D. Estorque’s lifelong dream to operate a business where students can study, lounge comfortably, and enjoy reading books unmindful of time.
Estorque, or Tina among friends and colleagues, acquired Book Latté from a friend and client of her accounting firm 13 years ago, and the venture would showcase her management innovation, bringing into play both her cerebral and emotive abilities to turn around the business into a cohesive enterprise that aligns with her creative sensibilities.
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The years that followed highlighted the art and creativity functions of the library café, with book reading over a cup of coffee expanding to book exchange among customers and book devotees, to monthly book reading events, to book club formation, and eventually stirring a sense of community engagement through partnership and collaboration that culminated in the holding of the first Iloilo Book Fair, now an annual and sometimes bi-annual event.
The establishment of the Book Latté Alternative Art Space (BKLAS), provided a platform for public education in the visual arts through the exchange of exhibits by professionals and emerging visual artists. The effort exemplifies the commitment of Book Latté to the development of Iloilo arts and culture.
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Among local artists who exhibited works at BKLAS were father and son duo El Dosado and son Elijah (Two Spirits, 2018) and PG Zoluaga (Black Valentine 2, 2018).
Female artists who have done solo shows were the late Rose Rubinos Jabadan (Surreal Rebirth, 2018) and Gina Apostol (Femme Fatale, 2019).
It also hosted group shows of women artists like Optic Aroma in 2018, which featured the works of Janessa Carreon, Carren Evangelista, Louise Palomar, Lyza Grace Nacion, Carlet Espia, Marie Danielle Cabalum, Ilya Salberon, and Karen Monica Turingan – Morecho.
In November 2022, BKLAS hosted SUGILÁNUN which showed the works of young and emerging artists, namely: Carmelo Getuya Camohoy III, Bobby Dela Cruz, Kimpoy Dela Cruz, Bea Gison, Kirby Guirhem Majaque, and Zippy Saint Thomas
Book Latté earned the Best Concept Café Award (2015–2016) from Q Asia International Magazine, the first Iloilo café to receive such a recognition.
The library café is located at the ground floor of Megaworld Iloilo’s Festive Walk Parade. It’s open 24-hours.
Source:
- The Museums, Galleries, and Art Spaces of Iloilo: Vignette of a noble past, flamboyant present, and vibrant future, Ted Aldwin Ong, Iloilo Art Book 2021 to 2023, Art in the Heart of the Philippines, published by the Iloilo City Government, 2023.
- Brief History of Book Latté, Cristina D. Estorque, 2016.
