Written by SansSensibility
Founded in 2013, LEXIQUETTE is the brainchild of Alexia Bréard-Anderson; Argentinean-Canadian cultural student and creative entrepreneur. Based in Toronto, the prime vision of Lexiquette is to unveil a unique perspective of the creative generation we live in; aspiring to inspire and connect emerging minds to discover, create and integrate art and community.
“I see what they’re inspired by. I see inside of their minds and I find that … that process is super important to share cause it makes [the art] so much more relatable.”
Using Lexiquette as her platform to meet artists and learn to navigate the Toronto arts scene. “Now you see the [arts] culture has grown in a way that everybody is aware of it … but three years ago? No. Especially coming from an overdose that was the [MURAL] festival to nothing.” In addition to her academic studies in Curatorial Practices, Lexiquette has helped her find the missing link within the Toronto arts scene and use the platform to offer a solution. “The first motivation [for making Lexiquette] was moving to the city and trying to find these artists in the first place and realizing that there was nothing written about them. There were no profiles, [and] the event coverage was normally photo based, there was nothing written. Galleries weren’t quite promoting themselves online so it was it was very much a face to face interaction that needed to
be had to sort of figure out what’s going on in the arts scene.” And it was that face to face interaction that Alexia thrives in as her passion for working with people was developed back in those high school drama classes. “I’ve always wanted to work with people, to be honest. Even in theatre what I liked the most about it was interacting with people and creating these stories and acting them out and sharing them with an audience … I loved it, I always loved that.” So conversations grew as an organic extension of this desire for storytelling and connectivity. “It’s always been conversations with artists. Just coffee, tea, cigarettes (usually) and chatting.”
But far from chasing big names and celebrity, Alexia’s focus has always been the up and coming artists who may still be developing their style and identity as creators. “I find seeing the approach that emerging artists have with their work is just completely raw. They just want to get their voices out there. They’re experimenting, they’re fearless. They’re just like ‘This is my shit, I don’t care if you don’t like it or not cause I don’t even know what I want.’ They’re just throwing it out there, and its super unique and fresh.” Going back to that theme of duality, Alexia explains that it is because she isn’t a visual artist per se that she can act as a liaison between the artist’s world and the broader arts community. “I can see the bigger picture. I can see the space that they’re in. I
see what they’re inspired by. I see inside of their minds and I find that … that process is super important to share cause it makes [the art] so much more relatable.”
So far 2016 has seen her kicking that role into high speed, curating another show with WIMA, an arts collective devoted to supporting and empowering women, and curating a year long exhibition series highlighting emerging Toronto artists en
titled The Pendulum Project (which Portrait is collaborating on as well!). These plans, and the presumably many more she has in the pipeline, are the culmination of the years of artist conversations. “The past three years all I’ve been doing is collecting, collecting, collecting. People, places, thoughts, ideas. And now its like I have this huge world now where I’m just seeing all the separate dots and putting them together.” A sentiment reminiscent in curator Hans Ulrich
Obrist’s essay Infinite Conversations, “Conversations … are obviously archival, but they are also a form of creating fertile soil for future projects.” And in that sense, Alexia’s 2016 plans are ready to harvest. “I’ve realized that I want to help [up and coming artists] achieve that potential. It’s that simple. And I find that because I’m not creative physical work myself I’m able to see both sides of the situation so I can sort of guide [them] … [But] even more than a mentoring it’s just a simple connecting.” As for the future and what will happen to Lexiquette? “I’m doing my best to connect people and get that exposure of emerging artists [to] make sure they’re getting recognized. That they’re given equal opportunities throughout … [In the future] I want to do an agency or an artist collective, somewhere in which I can manage specific artists and bridge them to other people and make those connections. But that’s gonna last for two years then I’m gonna get sick of it and it will get all business-y and then I’m gonna go teach art to kids and write.”
To see more of Alexia’s work and Lexiquette check her website or instagram.
About Author
