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Where life and art meet

At Artco de Cafe coffee gets cerebral. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ART AND COLLECTION GROUP

It was a usual busy weekday afternoon, but time seemed to stand still at the Artco de Cafe's (典藏咖啡廳) rooftop retreat where an open-air garden hushed the hustle and bustle of city life. On the wooden walls, Australia-based Taiwanese artist Earthstone Chou's (周于棟) metal art works glitter in sunlight while a large project sketch by internationally renowned visual artist Cai Guoquing (蔡國強) gripped visitors at the first-floor entrance.

A tasteful renovation of a 40-year-old building, the five-floor cafe is a new addition to the 15-year-old Art and Collection Group (典藏藝術家庭), a publishing house specializing in art books, and which also publishes magazines Artco Ancient Art (典藏古美術), Artco Art Today (典藏今藝術), Artco Kids (小典藏) and a English journal of contemporary Chinese art called Yishu.

With such an artistic muscle behind the operation, it is not surprising that drinks and food are not the coffee house's only offerings — it offers the prospect of a lifestyle where art is the most pronounced element.

Floors one to three provide an inviting dining space sporting contemporary art works selected from the personal collection of the group's president Chien Hsiu-Chih (簡秀枝), an active art collector for over a decade. The exhibits are changed every three to four months and a guided tour can be arranged for large groups.

The works currently on show easily overshadow those at the numerous art galleries in town. Customers can admire abstract block prints by pioneering figure of Taiwan's modern art movement Chen Ting-shih (陳庭詩) and modern brush paintings by abstract artists Chuang Che (莊吉吉).

And there is no need to bring your laptop or a novel to while an afternoon away as the cafe has an admirable collection of books for the perusal of patrons.

If reading and art-appreciation seem too static, the rooftop space hosts live music by musicians and groups outside the mainstream every Saturday and Sunday from 8pm to 9pm. A minimum charge of NT$99 on the cafe's palatable refreshments is the pass to begin a weekend night with an intimate musical treat.

During the day, the fourth floor provides a lively learning environment for people interested in visual art. Lectured by specialists and artists, art-appreciation courses on four to six subjects are held each month.

This weekend at the rooftop garden, reclusive musician poet, photographer and visual artist A-ke (阿格) will descend from his cloister to chant the music of the soul, while Pai Ming-kuang (白明光) of the AM Family (原音社) will enlighten urbanites about the spiritual lives of Taiwan's Aborigines. These performances are the perfect excuse to check out this new venue at the heart of the sleepless city.

Artco de Cafe is located at 8-1 Changan E Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市長安東路一段8-1號). For updates on live music performances and art classes, visit www.artouch.com or call (02) 2560-2220.
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