Mission Statement

H.E.X. is a femme and queer-led art collective dedicated to exploring the dark, the strange, and the transformative through art. We are committed to creating a safe and affirming community for marginalized artists who share an affinity for the occult, the mystical, and the shadow side of creativity.

 

Vision

We envision H.E.X. as both sanctuary and catalyst: a communal space where art is not only made but embodied, exhibited, and lived. Our space will be a hub where femme and queer artists can experiment freely, present work that challenges mainstream norms, and connect with audiences who crave art that disrupts and unsettles.

 

Structure & Membership

Members: 10–13 femme or queer-identifying artists with a shared interest in dark/occult aesthetics.

• Collaborative Model: Each member contributes to the sustainability of the collective through shared dues, labor, and decision-making.
• Diversity of Practice: Members may work across mediums—painting, sculpture, writing, fashion, ritual, sound, and installation, and more.
• Annual Elected Positions: We will use annual positions to keep our members focused and directly involved.

 

Space Usage

The physical space will serve as:

• Art Studio: Communal workstations, shared materials, and equipment for individual and collaborative projects.
• Gallery: Rotating exhibitions showcasing member work and invited guest artists.
• Retail Pop-Ups: Seasonal or thematic markets featuring art, zines, fashion, jewelry, and other hand-crafted pieces.
• Community Events: Meetings, collaborative events with other establishments and outside artists, training, and other scenarios as the collective sees fit.

 

Why H.E.X.?

We chose H.E.X. as both name and spell. Its letters root in Latin:

• Hortus — the garden, a place of cultivation, creation, and wild growth.
• Est — “is,” the binding word, the verb of being that unites seed to soil, idea to form.
• Xenodochium — a house of strangers, a sanctuary for outsiders, a refuge for those who do not belong anywhere else.

Together, Hortus Est Xenodochium means “The Garden Is a Refuge.” This is the essence of our collective: a fertile ground where the displaced and the divergent gather, where art grows from exile, and where secrecy becomes sanctuary.

 

H.E.X. is not just an acronym, but a declaration — that in the hidden, the foreign, and the estranged, there is beauty worth cultivating.