What used to be a lawyer’s office is now a gallery bar that brings together the work of local artists. Francisco and his son Jacobo Cepeda are the accomplices.
Art, coffee, wine and good company flow in a single space in the historic center of Guayaquil. In an elegant residential house from the 20th century stands gallery 604, which since December 2021 has opened its doors to the public to provide an experience that takes them back to the Guayaquil of 1940.
Summary 2021: the heart of Guayaquil beat with the birth of new cultural spaces; city museums celebrated his return with exhibits
A passion for collecting as many paintings and sculptures as possible led to Francis Cepeda, founder of the gallery bar, to want a place to exhibit his valuable acquisitions that bring together masters such as Tábara, Quimbita or Guayasamín. Jacobo Cepeda Luzarraga He grew up listening to this fervent wish of his father, until one day he proposed to work on this idea.
They thought that Francisco’s old office, from where he worked as a lawyer, would be the ideal space to consolidate it. What for years was his office, on Luque 604 and Boyacá streets, became what is now the gallery bar.
Professional in advertising and with experience in bars and nightclubs, Jacobo was looking for a different way of showing art to citizens, he wanted a combinatorial experience to be lived. “Sometimes galleries become boring spaces. People go, see the works and leave. There is no time of interaction between the spectator and the artistic proposal”, says the executive director.
This is how they decided to include eight varieties of coffee and a selection of drinks, including wines and beers, in the proposal. “The idea is that you can accompany your tour with a glass of wine”Jacob says.
The gallery bar is open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 17:30. On Saturdays, from 10:00 to 18:30; They also work extended hours -with reservation- until 8:30 p.m.
Love for downtown Guayaquil
For the Cepedas, the center of the city has been like their second home, in fact, the first years of Jacobo’s life were built there. He says that his father is one of those ‘guayacos’ who try to maintain that bond. “Although he moved from the center many years ago, he never took his office out of the center… he has worked in the center all his life,” he says.
The love that Francisco feels for the Pearl of the Pacific is not only reflected in its name, which recalls Francisco de Orellana (historical character who participated in the conquest of the city), but it is felt in his voice when talking about it. “Guayaquil is where my father was born, where my grandfather was born, where I was born… Guayaquil is a wonderful, welcoming, hospitable city… I won’t change it… I want to be buried in Guayaquil”, says Francisco Cepeda.
For his part, Jacobo considers that the center of the city is currently becoming fashionable, which is why he defends the idea of promoting and recovering it. “It is our historic center, we have to take care of it, we have to promote it, we have to revive it and we cannot let the center stay there. Sometimes I think that Guayaquil is the only city in the world that tries to expand horizontally and they forget the places where it all started”, holds.
Meanwhile, Francisco dreams that Galería 604 will contribute to the boom that the center is gradually having. “This city as a port has always had so many characters, and it has had an important history in the cultural field that we must recover”, points.
From office to bar
Gallery 604 is the answer to a dream that always rested inside a man who loves art, culture and the city. Seeing the office converted into an art gallery is something that fills the Cepedas with satisfaction and hope.
“It feels very nice… it’s the first time it’s happened to me that you can turn your dad’s project into reality. Right now the feeling is gratifying, it’s exciting, seeing my dad happy, sometimes he does the tours, he does the guided tours and since many paintings are his, he tells you the story behind that painting, then it becomes more intimate”, says Jacobo.
“I am very happy that my son was able to crystallize the idea, we were able to make an effort to rent another office so that the gallery has, within our possibilities, a larger space”, Francis adds.
“When you enter Gallery 604, it can be said that you feel transported to the time, to the wonderful years of the fifties, and that includes a series of pleasant experiences, to the romanticism of that time…”, expresses about the space that works in a heritage building named Andretta.
Exhibition ‘Eclectic’
Until tomorrow the collective exhibition is presented Eclectic, under the curatorship of Carla Bresciani. The show brings together the beautiful of the past, the challenging of the present, and how intimidating the future can be. Several artists participate in this, such as Claudia Carrera, Arelys Suárez, René Bohórquez, Diana Gardeneira, Juan Caguana, María Lorena Peña, José Luis Chóez, Billy Soto, among others.
The next show will be Urban, a selection from the private collection of Francisco Cepeda, which rescues the spirit of Guayaquil in many aspects.
Jacobo affirms that at the moment they have received proposals from some artists who also wish to participate with their works in future exhibitions. “There has been a nice reception from the community of artists, and we have already had some who want the space”, says.
It also maintains that the artists and their work are promoted on their social networks @lagaleria604. In addition, a catalog is made with the technical sheet of each work. “In this gallery the protagonist is the artist (…) we have tried to adapt and adopt practices of international galleries with a very urban concept”, indicates. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
