Book Section

My friend Jinhao asked me if I had any books that had imagery he described as, tender. I invited him to my place where I selected a handful of publications that fit this description. He told me that he was working on a new project that was in this similar style. It was great picking out and sharing images out of books to help him with his idea. Real life Pinterest-ing. It was especially great to share ideas, discuss different aspects of each others art making and future goals of how our works can be shared and digested. These are my some of my favourite types of exchanges with other artists and is something I consider a part of my practise as an artist and a book lover. It’s something I want to continue doing as part of Book Section. I’d like to open up the library and my own personal library for people who have ideas that they want to bounce off of someone else. Who want to explore images physically and hopefully get a jolt of motivation to get that idea off the ground. I don’t have an exact plan of how I want to run this, but they will be 1 on 1 sessions, well pre-discuss what types of images your looking for and we can go from there! For now, if you’re interested in this, please DM me! It’s open to locals(Vancouver) but I’m also open to having discussions through FaceTime or whatever virtual communication you prefer to just riff off. I want to get to know ya’ll more and see how we can get involved with each other.

I first came across @qqqqqian_____ artwork while getting a haircut. One of her pieces was hung behind me up on the wall. I saw it in the corner of my eye between the scissors, my bangs and the smiling face of Kiko. Who then told me about the piece and its creator. I can’t remember exactly how we first met but I think she came by the section one day and we chatted for a while! She told me about her book that she was making and I was really excited to see it. I’m glad she and Skye approached myself and Alterior to host her book launch for “Rug Swept Fever Dream”. It was great to see everyone’s support!! I have 1 copy for viewing and 1 copy for sale at the Section. Please check out Skye and @fingerscrossedpress at the @vancouverartbookfair this year. May 15-17! Copies of “Rug Swept Fever Dream” will be available :)

A CLOSE FEELING. OUT MARCH 19TH. physical copies exclusively at the book section. (1705 Venables St, Vancouver, BC.) limited to 7 copies. signed. 30$ CAD. 140 x 192mm, 52 pages. Electronic PDF out soon, will be free. Thank you all so much for waiting, this has been a journey to get this book printed. Thank you to everyone that supported me, all of the models that have appeared in this book and the book section for giving me this platform to sell. Thank you thank you thank you. Love, Momo.

RELEASE 002
Rug Swept Fever Dream by Qian Cheng Join us for the launch + drinks at @book__section @alteriordesign Saturday, March 21 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
1705 Venables St, Vancouver, BC Rug Swept Fever Dream is a loose constellation of musings, moments, plans, and dreams in the form of drawings made by Qian Cheng between 2022 and 2025, accompanied by text from Asia Jong. Qian is an artist and organizer, and Asia is a curator and writer, both based in Vancouver, BC. Features risograph printing, stab binding, silkscreened cover and vellum pages. Limited edition of 100. Each book is signed + numbered by the artist. 110 x 155mm, 82 pages. $45 CAD / DM for purchase Check out more from Qian Cheng
@qqqqqian_____

3 creative writing prompts. No rules in how you want to write them. Bring a pen and pad, bring an iPad. It’s just about exercising your mind and write as freely as you want. The prompts just give you a place to start but take it anywhere you want after that :) I will post the prompts on stories after the night if you’d like to do it at home. But I hope to see some friendly faces come by Thursday. See y’all then ! 730-10PM 1705 Venables Street

Now hosting selections from @ilovebooks.shop . Available only for purchase in the section. Hosting other book and magazine lovers and their collections is something I look forward to doing more of. Come by and check these out!!

A couple new updates regarding the library! Firstly, I can’t thank enough the people who have interacted with library over these past two years. It’s been nice to meet everyone that’s come through to Alterior and decide to walk on up the stairs and say hello. It always warms my heart to find a new signature in the green notepad of someone taking or returning a book. What I always emphasize about books and magazines is that they don’t get old. There’s always something new to find depending on who is finding it. In the last years I’ve been tracking what people have been interested in, what they’ve been engaging with and what they want to see more of. I want to accommodate those wishes as best as I can. As most of you know, the section is self funded and every month I set aside a tiny tiny budget for me to buy new books and prints to stock the shelves pertaining to certain requests. Of course, times are hard! As they are for everyone and I can’t always stretch my budget for the books I want to have for myself and for all ya’ll. Which is why, the Section is now turning into a book store!! The section will still function as a library. All of that is staying the same. But all the books will now have a price attached. All the funds will be filtered back into the space, to be able to buy, not just more books and magazines but other lovely things that I want to offer to ya’ll and as well ease the costs of myself and my partner Satchi to keep running the space. I am now offering the option to lend you the book or if you love it enough to have it in your own personal collection, that’s an option too! As you can see in the photo there are couple new additions to the space. We have @ilovebooks.shop joining us with their curated selection of magazines and books for sale as well. And our dear friend @shopamalgam with vintage womenswear. I will go more in depth in the things myself and Satchi will be doing with the space. Which is the perfect time to introduce our shared space.. @__part.time Follow along for more updates of what we got going on.

This past weekend we hosted artist, @jeprensolis for his book launch titled “MAPA atbp 03: Paths for Mending and Realignment. Jepren shared with us the story and process behind this book. How it begun with an injury and the process of inner healing, homesickness, transition, holding on and moving forward. He shared a presentation talking about this all and it is also outlined in the book itself. I love this translation of feelings into a physical form. Taking meaning in something simple, sentimental and personal, sharing it with the rest of us was a real pleasure. He writes in the book “Each step forward is a step back to where I belong, healing my body and my heart along the way, and preparing me to embrace the journey that lies ahead”. We also did an exercise around the room that involved all of us writing and sharing our favourite places in Vancouver. As Jepren has only been here since earlier this year, he’d hope to find new places to make new memories with in the city he currently resides. I met Jepren a week or two after his first visit. Him and his wife Chrissie brought me a copy of the book and I was very drawn to the shape, the printing and its story. As well finding out that he is from a neighbouring city in the same region as I am in the Philippines. Thank you Jepren for sharing this work with us, thank you to everyone that attended. The book is available to view in the library and limited copies are available for sale as well! In the comments are some info on some of the partners that helped make this book possible ! Photos by: @donnelgarcia & @malaking_tenga

Join us for the book launch of MAPA atbp 03: Paths for Mending and Realignment this August 03, Sunday, 6PM (Vancouver) / 9AM (Manila) at Book Section @book__section , 1705 Venables St, Vancouver, BC. There will be a presentation, mini workshop and pop-up library by Remuda Valley. ABOUT THE PUBLICATION: MAPA atbp 03: Paths for Mending and Realignment traces quiet rituals of movement and memory—where each step becomes both a soft return and a gentle preparation for what lies ahead. Along the way, fragments of friendships, familiar facades, and everyday designs resurface like anchors in a time of transition. Through walking, a personal geography unfolds: one shaped by care, connection, and the quiet work of healing. ABOUT MAPA ATBP.: MAPA atbp., is a project by pook aralan unrelearning and ipo-ipo projects. This series of publications assemble, distribute and archive strategies and stories of navigation by artists and cultural workers within Region IV-A, Philippines. ABOUT THE PUBLISHERS: pook aralan unrelearning is a migratory school interested in queering the art, cultural and knowledge production in the Philippines. @unrelearning Ipo-ipo projects is a collaborative container for production, reproduction, multiples and editions, that aims to submit to action over outcomes. This is subject to change. @ipo_ipo_projects ABOUT REMUDA VALLEY: Remuda Valley is the brainchild of a researcher and designer duo. Rooted in photography, we create zines, stickers, and objects that reflect personal geographies and shared moments. @remudavalley

A couple weeks ago I hosted a writing exercise at my free lending library, Book Section. Writing has always been a something I’ve enjoyed doing as a daily practise to get my thoughts out and to understand myself better. Sometimes when I feel like I got nothing to write about I use prompts to jumpstart a feeling or a memory that I can use as a starting point. These exercises I thought could be awesome to do in a group setting and be able to get to know friends and soon to be friends better. I’m glad I got to share this practise with everyone that came and promise this won’t be the last one. Additionally, I compiled everyone’s writing pieces and made it into a zine that is available to read at Book Section! Thank you @joinyuzu for supporting my event and if you’re looking to connect with people and events like these, check them out !

A couple weeks ago I floated the idea of opening the book section up later in the evening for multi-purpose use. I got a lot of positive responses, so this week: Thursday + Friday // 8pm-11pm(maybe later) Opening it up for whatever you need. Late night free third spaces are almost non-existent here(shoutout to Breka tho) so I’d like to give this a try. You can study, lock in and work, quietly read or chat amongst friends and strangers who become friends, scan books, have a coffee(trying to bring out my late night coffee drinkers)… this week will be an open session! ON TOP OF THAT - the writing club idea has gotten an overwhelming great response. I want to accommodate everyone who responded but I know it’s a little late to get this properly organized. BUT I HAVE ANOTHER OPTION THAT IS ON SLIDE 2. If you’re interested in the writing club, I’d love to meet you all and write with you all soon, please stop by book section this week. Details on slide 2 !!!! Enjoy.

This week @alivingtaste is hosting @issuesmagshop again and just like last time they will be selling magazines of all sorts until Sunday, May 25th. Stop by when you can! So many great titles on design, film, food, skate, sport, photography ! Here’s some photos of the current pop up and some of my pics from the shop! British Journal of Photography Interview Magazine BrownBook Darby Techhunter Pin Up A Rabbits Foot Redskate TypeOne Picnic Open 11-7 everyday :)