MICROCOSMOS
EDICIÓN 23 · 2018
P apaya P lanet ’ s
W orld
A bookstore , café , and art gallery : this
eclectic place in A venida B is promoting
international creativity and P anamanian talent .
C
asa Regina is a classic
building from Casco
Antiguo. Thanks to its
restauration, it finally got back its
original touch, and now it is fur-
nished properly.
The main interest in Casa Re-
gina is culture. The owners were
in charge of Argosy bookstore.
Today, Papaya Planet, whose
name is a link between creativity
and imagination, is here to ex-
pand and promote Argosy’s ideal
and culture in Panama.
The ground floor is comforta-
ble and minimalistic. There, you
can find two interesting spots:
first, a café that offers healthy,
light dishes inspired by Medite-
rranean Greek and Israeli food.
Second, a bookstore that has both
English and Spanish books from
all genres including sci-fi and
poetry from local, oriental, and
American authors.
Upstairs, there’s the Art Spa-
ce. It’s an with elegant varnished
wooden floor, perfect for Contem-
porary Art exhibitions. Since its
opening –in August 2017- , there
have been several avant-garde ex-
hibitions, such as FotoSeptiembre
photography series and perfor-
mance by Mariana Núñez, and
the new art proposal by emerging
artist Elio Icaza.
This year’s agenda looks –pro-
mising- and interesting: a perfor-
mance by a Swiss artist, besides
an installation by two talented
Panamanians, both in March. In
April, there will be a retrospec-
tive exhibition promoted by the
French Embassy to honor the
French painter Claude Viallat.
Papaya Planet has also been
a place for special events, music
shows on the first floor, and diverse
cultural workshops on the ground
floor. Paola Reyes, the person in
charge of the place, shares the desi-
re of supporting and promoting all
the national writers works, as well
as exhibiting innovative and uncom-
mon conceptual and investigative
projects from emerging and establi-
shed visual artists.
The goal for Papaya Planet is to
create a place where creativity can
be enjoyed and praised within the
Casco c ontext, a tourist area where
bars outnumber bookshops and ga-
lleries.
In Papaya Planet you will be
able to buy, sit down and read a
good book, see the Contemporary
Art exhibitions, eat a tasty light
lunch or learn any creative techni-
que: everything is placed for you to
enjoy the creative world that Papa-
ya Planet brings to us.
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