Mulheim Art Association Honors Jessica Arsenau with its Prestigious Award
Jessica Arseneau, a Canadian artist based in Berlin, has been awarded the Mülheim Art Prize for her thought-provoking work that delves into the themes of sleep, dreams, and the impact of technology on human experience. The prize, worth 2,500 euros, was presented for the first time as part of the Biennale MÜLHEIM CALLING.
Arseneau's prize-winning work, a video titled "Maybe It's Tomorrow" (2023), is currently showcased in the exhibition MÜLHEIM CALLING 2025. Her art transports viewers into fictional spaces through large-scale installations, video, photography, light, sound, and text. "Maybe It's Tomorrow" reflects on temporality, transience, and speed, elevating these themes to an existential level through the cinematic dialogue of a resting stone and satellite images.
The jury, composed of Dr. Daniela Grobe, Tania Terium, Dr. Karin Stempel, Dr. Stefanie Kreuzer, and Anja Bauer-Kersken, was particularly impressed by Arseneau's consistent exploration of the theme "sleep" across different levels and contexts. Arseneau is a member of Makroskop - Center for Art and Technology, Mülheim an der Ruhr, where she was a resident in 2021.
Born in 1988 in Bathurst, Canada, Arseneau holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the Université de Moncton and a diploma in media art from the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig. Both degrees were awarded with distinction. Her works often deconstruct and recombine imagery to resist easy classification, reflecting her thematic interest in dislocation and altered perception.
Arseneau's art examines how artificial light disrupts natural cycles and reflects on the psychological states induced by sleeplessness. Her works contrast a world that is almost never at rest, always lit, with an unmoving, moss-covered stone in the forest. A photo of Arseneau is credited to Alfa Preker-Frank.
For more detailed information about Arseneau's biography, previous works, or artistic style, consulting her official artist website, gallery representations, or exhibition catalogs is recommended. Arseneau currently resides in Berlin.
[1] This information is based on the available search results as of mid-2025.
Jessica Arseneau's artistic exploration extends beyond the impact of technology on human experience, delving into the realms of health-and-wellness, notably the theme of sleep. Her prize-winning piece, "Maybe It's Tomorrow," offers a distinct perspective on the relationship between sleep and the disruption of natural cycles due to artificial light.
