TheWorkshop guides artists in putting their ideas into practice.
As an artist, having an idea is sometimes the easy part. Executing that idea and turning it into a physical creation is often a different story, especially when a lot of technical expertise is involved. Let this be the field that the people of .TheWorkshop in Vilvoorde are at home in. Founded in 2024 by a team of four experienced technicians and designers, .TheWorkshop offers not only the tools and materials, but also the knowledge and guidance to bring artistic visions to life. Time to take a look at two of the co-founders, Gert Aertsen and Werner Musenbrock.
text and photos: Ben Money-Kyrle (05/06/2025)
The origins of .TheWorkshop lie at the Higher Institute for Fine Arts (HISK) in Ghent. The HISK was a postgraduate program for visual and audiovisual arts that ceased to exist in 2023 due to budget cuts. Gert Aertsen and Werner Musenbrock worked in the production team of the HISK and assisted the HISK artists with their work. After the closure, they decided to continue working together and founded .TheWorkshop, together with another former HISK colleague Wannes Goetschalckx and Leander Schönweger, each from their own expertise.
After securing a space in the Asiatpark in Vilvoorde, they officially launched .TheWorkshop in April 2024. They not only offer production support to artists in the creation of their work, but also conceptual development, technical guidance, material selection, budget management and installation assistance.
An example of their work is the installation they made for Peter Morrens’ exhibition OEEEEUUUUVVRE at M Leuven, end of 2024. The artist wanted to integrate sound into the different rooms of the museum. Therefore, .TheWorkshop designed a custom motorized rail system to move the speakers throughout the exhibition. The project required close collaboration with the artist, curator and technical team to ensure that everything functioned smoothly while remaining true to the artistic concept.
"One of the biggest challenges for the team is translating an artist's vision into a physically feasible structure."
Geluidsrail voor de expo in M. Foto © Useful Art Services voor M Leuven
Collaboration is key
This creative process is all about dialogue and experimentation. One of the biggest challenges for the team is translating an artist’s vision into a physically feasible structure. “Artists usually come with an idea, sometimes even a solution in mind, but that’s not always the most efficient way,” Gert Aertsen explains. “That’s where our expertise comes in: we propose alternative, often simpler ways to realize the project.”
That’s why .TheWorkshop’s core philosophy is to work closely with the artists. “We want them to be part of the process, to understand the materials and techniques,” says Aertsen. “It’s not always possible, but we try to make the work not for the artist, but with the artist.” Unlike HISK, where financial concerns were less of an issue, .TheWorkshop now works without subsidies. This means that each project has to find a balance between artistic ambition and budget constraints. But instead of seeing this as a limitation, they see it as an opportunity to experiment creatively and find ways around the financial issues.
Another example of how .TheWorkshop involves artists in the process is that artists are encouraged to get hands-on with tools and materials. “We throw you in the pool,” jokes Werner Musenbrock. “We introduce you to the materials, show you examples, and discuss what works best for your project.”
This approach allows artists to remain intimately involved in their work, even if they are not involved in every stage of production. Some come with detailed 3D plans, others with rough sketches, but the goal is always the same: to establish a collaborative process where artistic vision and technical expertise meet. Unlike other production studios, they rarely build full-scale prototypes, preferring to experiment with small material samples and sketches before finalizing a design.
Pushing boundaries
Everyone at .TheWorkshop has their own area of expertise. For example, Aertsen specializes in audiovisuals, while Musenbrock specializes in metalworking. While .TheWorkshop takes on a wide range of projects, they recognize that there are limits to what they can do. “There are areas we don’t specialize in, like ceramics,” Musenbrock says. “But we’re always open to learning new techniques.” Adapting and expanding their skills is a constant necessity. New tools and materials are always emerging, and they do their best to stay up to date so they can empower their employees even more.
Their first project in Vilvoorde, “A Short History of Unresolved Spaces Caused by Attempting a Greater Speed I-III” (2024), was a concrete-based installation for the Border Buda Festival, commissioned by artist Evita Vasiljeva. None of the four members had worked with concrete before, but they took on the challenge, experimenting and pushing their own technical boundaries while working on this project.
Another way they’re pushing the boundaries is in the way they’ve incorporated sustainability into TheWorkshop’s philosophy; “With metalwork, for example,” says Musenbrock, “every piece can be reused, even though sometimes it’s nicer to work with new pieces.” Sustainability goes beyond materials; it’s part of the project’s foundation. “When HISK closed, we had to clear it out and look for spaces to put machinery and materials,” Aertsen recalls. “But there was so much that we could use ourselves that it helped bring our project to life. So in and of itself, .TheWorkshop is a sustainability project.”
Installing the work © Evita Vasiljeva
Border Buda 2024 (above)
"Short history of unresolved spaces caused by attempting a greater speed I-III" (2024) by Evita Vasiljeva
photo © Lola Pertsowsky, Border Buda 2024 (right)
A greater role in facilitating artists
Despite their crucial role in the artistic process, Aertsen and Musenbrock like to stay behind the scenes. “Artists sometimes praise us when they present their art that we helped produce, and we appreciate that, but ultimately it’s their work. We’re there to make it happen.”
A young but already influential player in the Belgian art scene, .TheWorkshop is more than a production space: it is a space for artistic exchange, technical experimentation and creative problem solving. Whether you are an emerging artist with limited technical knowledge or an experienced practitioner looking for new materials and approaches, .TheWorkshop is a place where ideas become reality. As Musenbrock puts it: “You are always welcome for a conversation to discuss your ideas, even if nothing comes of it.
"You are always welcome to come in for a chat to discuss your ideas, even if nothing comes of it."
Want to know more about .TheWorkshop?
The studio of .TheWorkshop is located at the Asiat Site, Willem Elsschotstraat 15, 1800 Vilvoorde. You can contact the employees via their individual email addresses on the website. The employees are: Gert Aertsen (audiovisual and general production), Wannes Goetschalckx (woodworking), Werner Musenbrock (metalworking) and Leander Schönweger (visual and sculptural design).