Foil Gallery challenges the traditional art gallery model in Mile-Ex

Over the years, the digital artists Frédéric Duquette (@fvckrender) and Jo-Anie Charland (@__baeige__) originally hailing from Magog, Quebec built a strong following across Canada and internationally.

After an extended stay in Vancouver, they returned to Montreal with a vision: to leverage their international audience and shine a much-deserved spotlight on the incredible talent in the city’s thriving arts scene with Foil Gallery, opened in Mile-Ex in early February 2025.

Not just white walls

There’s a conscious twist at Foil Gallery that sets it apart from traditional spaces. “We asked ourselves,” says Duquette, “how can we break the current art gallery structure?”

The answer came from their own experiences navigating the often-elitist vibe so famously encountered in art spaces. Consider the British auction house Christie's, says Duquette, which feels, “pretentious” and, “unwelcoming.” 

“When you go inside, there’s just one person looking at you like you don’t belong,” he recalls.

If the point of a local gallery is to celebrate its local community—which seems to very much be Foil’s mandate—guests ought to be welcomed with open arms.

That in part led to Duquette and Charland adding another address to Montreal’s flourishing coffee scene with the inclusion of a café within the gallery. Foil has partnered with local coffee roaster Zab to provide an elevated coffee experience that complements the gallery’s creative vibe.

“The cafe makes the experience way less intimidating,” says Duquette.

Set in an industrial-chic space designed by Atelier L’Abri with construction by Modulor, as well as furniture by studios like David Raymond's LESORR, the space's clean lines and carefully curated aesthetic extends into the experiential: It features an audiovisual laboratory for showcasing digital creations, a soundscape curated by Olivier Lamontagne, and a custom fragrance designed by the New York perfumery D.S. & Durga.

On the founders

Both Duquette and Charland's work is featured in the gallery, but Foil has also featured the likes of local artists like Vincent Tsang, Le Bicar, Zoë Winters, dre wilkin, and J.30000.

But as for the co-founders: Duquette took an untraditional route to his career, straying from academics and instead becoming a self-taught digital artist. Their work delves into what they've described as “the shiny object of desire that catches the eye, seduces the senses, and calms the mind.” School just wasn’t the answer, instead, as Duquette poignantly expresses it was, “art pretty (that) much saved me.”

Charland’s work, on the other hand, is an exploration of utopian concepts in architecture. 

Although Duquette and Charland’s artistic practices are digitally based, they insist that Foil Gallery is not limited to showcasing digital art exclusively. The gallery's operations are overseen by Emily-Jade Charland, who plays an essential role in bringing attention to the space, managing the gallery’s growth, and providing for its surrounding community.

The co-founders ensure that all of the artwork showcased within the gallery is for sale. Duquette explains, “We don’t want to limit sales. We just want a beautiful space where people can enjoy art.” 

Setting the scene

It hasn’t taken long for Foil Gallery to emerge within the local creative scene in Montreal, through the promotion of one of Foil Sessions, a monthly coffee DJ set. These early-morning events are a refreshing twist on the traditional nightclub or late-night party.

“We decided to add DJ sets because we’re getting older but still want to have fun,” says Duquette. In an era where sobriety and mindfulness are gaining traction, it’s both a welcome approach and a bold mission statement. 

Foil Gallery marks a decided effort to support local, be it art or coffee, and to also celebrate the beautiful spaces and communities that can house both. Hence the name, which stands for 'Finer Objects in Life.'

Art doesn’t have to be pretentious, let alone exclusive to any community. The ultimate goal for Foil Gallery is clear: “We want future generations to go back to galleries,” Duquette says.