Bookay-Ukay is not a bookstore, but in fact a functioning/functional Situationist inspired installation (conceptual art piece) placed in the heart of Maginhawa st. UPVille, Diliman, QC in a vacant space beside Tomato Kick.

"In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation. "
- Guy Debord

As a Situationist inspired art piece, the role of Bookay-Ukay is to interfere with the Spectacle that confronts the masses.

A Spectacle is something beyond human control that is created by certain power structures that aim at controlling and incapacitating the masses to bend to it's will. The government, the church and the state are all parts of this Spectacle.

Such Spectacles include mass media, advertisements, consumerism, capitalist structures and state commisioned art.

In order to destroy these Spectacles, the role of the revolutionary (and the artist) is to create Situations that will shatter, interfere and sabotage the influence and control of the Spectacle.

One way of shattering the Spectacle is to change the roles designated to objects used and consumed by the masses (things that consumers buy, things that they see, use and consume), and to turn regular activities into weapons aimed at destroying the power structures.

For example:

Certain pieces of state propaganda, with their messages changed to suit the revolutionary ethos.

Pieces of everyday furniture and appliances, whose functions are changed from tools used in routinary human functions into non-functional art pieces and installation.

Flash mobs.

Improvisational performance art.

Art intervention or shattering and destroying state and mass accepted art.

"Art need no longer be an account of past sensations. It can become the direct organization of more highly evolved sensations. It is a question of producing ourselves, not things that enslave us. "
- Guy Debord

HOW DOES BOOKAY-UKAY PERFORM IT'S ROLE?

First, Bookay-Ukay intervenes by pushing and promoting reading which is not as accepted in mainstream Filipino society as a form of entertainment like TV or radio. Bookay-Ukay emphasizes and exploits the fact that reading is a form of entertainment that is not as congested with commercials and ads versus the more accepted form of media which is the television.

Second, Bookay-Ukay prioritizes second hand books over brand new books.
Second hand books do not give profits to the big publishers that publish them, but instead give profit to the previous owners (which are most likely ordinary citizens) or smaller businesses.

Third, Bookay-Ukay is not a real Bookstore it is in fact a space where the owners decide to stash a pile of books on top of each other. It is an installation in which everyday the spectator enters to see the art piece not knowing that they are:

a) Viewing an installation art piece.
b) They are not just spectators but are part of the art work as well.
c) That they are confronted with a medium that is different from the world that they will see once they step out of the bookstore.

Fourth, Bookay-Ukay destroys the common conception of what an ideal bookstore is, instead it alternates and reverses the role of a quiet and clean reading space into a noisy, graffiti filled den where people can freely hop in, drink (or whatever) and join the chaos.

Bookay-Ukay allows anyone to write on it's walls and allows events that promote alternative art which includes Leftist and Anarchist meetings and gatherings and also anti-establishment art such as graffiti and sticker bombing.

Once a spectator enters the installation, he or she may either be pleased or annoyed with the mess, but in any case the reader will have a distorted perception of what a bookstore is once he or she leaves Bookay and enters a big, capitalist bookstore such as Powerbooks and National Bookstore.

Fifth, Bookay-Ukay turns the spectator into a part of the Situation.

Positively, this is symbolic as an exchange of knowledge over money.

In a bleaker perspective, this can also suggest that art can be bought by money and he who has the buying power can own Art.

6) Aside from a Situationist inspired ethos, Bookay-Ukay also borrows from the Anarchists the concept of sabotage.

Because the influence of the state and media cannot be denied, Bookay-Ukay exploits these media to it's own advantage.

By using resources such as the internet and sometimes TV, the artists behind the bookstore are able to show it's propaganda to a wider audience.

The more spectators the bigger the damage.

7) Bookay-Ukay supports and promotes artists, film makers and musicians who also share the same pathos against the state and commercialism.

Also, Bookay-Ukay "sells" and promotes subversive literature and propaganda that gears towards the disestablishment of the Right.

Now, why does Bookay-Ukay sell books?

Remember, Bookay-Ukay is a FUNCTIONING installation art piece. If it doesn't play the role of the establishment it mimics, then the art piece is a failure.

Also, the installation needs to function in order for it to support itself and to survive. Just like any form of art.

"It is hardly surprising that children should enthusiastically start their education at an early age with the Absolute Knowledge of computer science; while they are unable to read, for reading demands making judgments at every line.... Conversation is almost dead, and soon so too will be those who knew how to speak. "
-Guy Debord

Bookay-Ukay Bookstore is located at #55 Maginhawa st. UP Village, Diliman QC. Viewing hours start at 12 pm onwards.

"Young people everywhere have been allowed to choose between love and a garbage disposal unit. Everywhere they have chosen the garbage disposal unit. "
-Guy Debord