[ about ]
SUBSTRAT offers support to a select group of artists who seek to work independently in a network-oriented context. Working closely with professionals across all art fields, SUBSTRAT is committed to creating opportunities for artists by providing them with tailor-made strategies, either project-based or on long-term contract.
SUBSTRAT provides a diversity of services such as content writing, exhibition management, production, press outreach, support with project proposals, applications, budgeting, preparatory accounting, inventory management, research, and post-project documentation.
Bastian Gehbauer, installation view PORTAL, Chaussee 3, Berlin, 2021
SUBSTRAT strives for furthering artists’ career and expanding their visibility worldwide – an ever so challenging task in view of an increasingly saturated art market. In particular developments such as digitalisation, commodification, and institutional norms can challenge the integrity of artists’ work. SUBSTRAT aims at giving artists the opportunity to fully focus on their art by taking charge of administrative, communicative and business-oriented competences as increasingly imposed upon them by diverse market actors.
Sebastian Lettner, Words no Meaning | Meaning no Words (detail), 2022
[ roots ]
Founded in 2023 by Alexia Timmermans, SUBSTRAT originated from her expertise gained in galleries, private art collections, artist studios, and auction houses. With her more recent engagement as an independent curator she aims to promote the vision of emerging artists through exhibitions that encourage dialogue.
Over the past ten years Alexia held various positions, including at Studio Julius von Bismarck (Text and Communication), neugerriemschneider (Content and Communications Manager), KEWENIG (Gallery Assistance and Press), BOROS Foundation (Assistant to the Director and Art Mediator).
She completed academic degrees at Sotheby’s Institute of Art London (Master in Art Business, incl. advanced courses in Art History and Curating Contemporary Art), at Humboldt University and Free University of Berlin (Master of European Studies), and at University of Antwerp/ Complutense University of Madrid (Bachelor German- and Master Spanish Literature and Linguistics).