Creative Baguio: Maricar Docyogen Of Bookends Provides A Space For Artists And Advocates Of Creative Economy

If there is one specific kind of skill and art that the community needs the most, it is the art of listening. Maricar Docyogen with the people working alongside her has certainly been doing just that since opening Bookends, the local bookstore that has become a convening place of artists. Their story  is reflective of what Robert Baden-Powell has once said — “If you make listening and observation your occupation, you will gain much more than you can by talk.”

From putting up the bookshop that has a heart for the people, making it a space for local artists to express their creativity and to contribute to the community, to being part of the campaign to convince many from the private, business and government sectors that Baguio City deserves the UNESCO Creative City title, Ms. Maricar and her team have gone leaps and bounds which began by merely listening to what people say and recognizing specific needs in the community.

Bookends: A Place To Talk, Listen, and Create

When Ms. Maricar was asked how everything started, she simply stated it evolved over time. It involved a series of events of conversations between people who give high regard to getting involved and giving what they have for any cause at hand. Looking back she said, “I think everything that I do now is really connected with something that we believe in or support. We do not just put up a business or an endeavor without realizing or thinking that there is something in it for the community. It has to come from within.”

When Bookends went online, they have been meeting people and reading about their stories. One particular story about dialysis patients touched Ms. Maricar. As a nurse, she knows exactly what patients go through. “Being indigent patients, how can they fight the disease and get the needed treatments?” she asked. In their “little way,” they started doing events like “Book Sale for a Cause” where all proceeds will go to the patients. This event was promoted online and people started picking up. Soon enough more people were asking how to help and ultimately, they started giving what they had. Seeing this happen, she believes people have an underlying question, “who can we trust to give our ten pesos or our shoes or our stuff na hindi nagagamit?” she realized, “you have to give the opportunity” for people to help out.

In 2016, her cousin-in-law called her up saying that they are coming up with a fundraising event for a patient who needs a kidney transplant which entails a big amount of money, a million. They plan to raise the funds through artworks so Ms. Maricar was asked if she knows artists who are willing to give their works and have them auctioned. They were talking about bringing in artworks to Bookends, have these put up on display as an avenue for the art auction.

During her conversation, little did Ms. Maricar know that there were people around her shop listening, and among them was an artist. Recalling that event she expressed, “there are a lot of people coming in and you don’t know their profession or stature unless you interact with them.” At that time, one particular person asked her if they will, in fact, be doing an art auction for a cause. Ms. Maricar said yes and asked if he was an artist. To her surprise, he said, “Yes, I am Art Lozano,” a painter, one of the artists of Tam Awan Village, and winner of numerous prestigious awards for his artistry.

Mr. Lozano said that he can bring an art piece and sell it for the auction. Whatever the amount, he gladly gives that to the cause. Ms. Maricar went on appreciating his generosity because she was not expecting such a response. They then kept on discussing, talking about ideas because Mr. Lozano said that there are a lot of artists in Baguio. One specific idea was to call in artists who would do sketches and portraits of people. Bookends can then collect money from people in exchange for portraits and all proceeds will go to beneficiaries. “It’s not like it (the idea) came from me,” Ms.Maricar remarked. “It is just that I am here. We have the shop and then people are listening and they are saying things.” The only question they are asking is, “Can you help in getting things done?” So far, the response is “yes” and they will even call in people to help.

Soon, Mr. Carl Taawan, a journalist, photojournalist, and graphic artist, was called in. He suggested to organize an event and tell people about it. Tell them online and invite the media to get involved. The event pushed through and was called “Sketch mo, Buhay ko.” The event was well-attended and with 15 artists doing portraits, they raised P25,000.  Sadly, the intended beneficiary passed away during the preparations but still, the amount was distributed to different patients, each being able to go through two dialysis sessions. After the successful vent, the artists asked what’s next.

Because the artists asked “What’s next?,” this led to how the “Bookends Art Circle” became the “Pasakalye Group of Artists.” Artists kept coming in and giving their works for significant causes. To the artists, having a space for their work is meaningful to them. They started calling themselves the “Bookends Art Circle.” Although Bookends is more about books and the advocacy side, they continued to support. Events were planned here and there and ideas came into fruition.

One particular event was when the artists decided to have all their artworks brought out. They decided to name the event “pasakalye” because they were doing it outside, along the street. People were invited to buy the artworks and interact with the artists themselves. Sponsors came in and supported the outdoor exhibit.

These events went on and ideas kept pouring in. In due time Mr. Art Tibaldo, respected journalist and creative mind behind Media Newseum, came in and contributed as well as people from other artist groups. Invitations came left and right which led to them to join the Kadayawan Festival in Davao as the artist group that represented the City of Baguio. They were able to go through sponsorship from both the private and government sectors.

Bookends provides the space for artists to create and for conversations about the creative economy to keep going. There are so many young people today who can use their talents in expressing themselves not just in drawing, but maybe even in poetry, in acting, in dancing, and in performance. “This not a ‘token thing’ where you just call in artists if visitors arrive or if events are scheduled. Art should be done in a sustained way.”

So, when in Baguio, be sure to check out the art on display and meet the artists at Bookends. Ms. Maricar puts it wonderfully together, “Every afternoon the kids are here, I don’t know what they are doing – that is their creativity. We don’t question that –  that is creativity. Art is also about literacy. So we are inviting all of you here to check our books. From babies to adults, we have books here for you.”