Tõnis Jürgens Receives WIELS Residency Grant in Brussels
The Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC) is pleased to announce the results of the 2026 open call for the WIELS residency programme in Brussels. The WIELS expert jury in collaboration with the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, has awarded the residency to Tõnis Jürgens.
The WIELS jury, composed of residency program mentors Sylvie Eyberg and Simon Thompson, alongside WIELS Director Dirk Snauwaert, shared the following statement: “The work of Tõnis is both exploratory and instructive, precise and ethereal, physical and mental. It made us want to further explore ways in which he addresses topics such as sleep tracking, privacy, perception and movement, data-control technology, and accelerationism. We trust his research on such topics, merging the biological and the technological bodies, and their functions, through film and performance can expand with already-existing and potential collaborations in the Brussels scene.”
Tõnis Jürgens is an artist, writer and cinema projectionist who primarily works in the mediums of film, video and installation. His video works combine essayism, poetic fragmentation and the reuse of archive materials, often expanded by scenographic spatial installations. Recently, he has been exploring the relationship between sleep and the im/measurability of everyday life. Jürgens holds degrees in cultural theory from Tallinn University (BA, 2012) and new media from the Estonian Academy of Arts (MA, 2016). Additionally, he has studied photography at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. Jürgens is currently a PhD candidate and guest lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Since 2024, he has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association and the Estonian Union of Photography Artists (FOKU).
The WIELS International Residency Programme is designed for contemporary artists from around the world, offering a professional working environment and the opportunity to engage in artistic and theoretical dialogues related to contemporary art. During the six-month residency, participants are provided with a personal studio space and receive weekly feedback and discussions, along with opportunities to visit exhibitions and art events in Belgium and neighbouring countries. Additionally, presentations are organized where artists can showcase their work and engage with fellow residents’ projects. The goal of the WIELS residency is to help artists develop their creative practice and professional activities in a conducive environment that draws from, and contributes to, Brussels’ rich, multicultural, plurilingual and diasporic art scene.
The artists who have previously participated in the WIELS residency program include Paul Kuimet, Jaanus Samma, Anna Škodenko, Tõnis Saadoja, Tanja Muravskaja, Anu Vahtra, Eva Mustonen, Ingel Vaikla, Krista Mölder, Sandra Kosorotova, Hedi Jaansoo, Laivi Suurväli, Ruudu Ulas and Marita Liivak. From 2017 to 2023, WIELS collaborated with the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA). Since 2024, the Estonian partner has been the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC).
The WIELS residency will take place from January 7th to June 30th, 2026. The residency is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture.