Jef Cornelis

Experimental Belgian film director Jef Cornelis is a pioneer in investigating the relationship between art, television, documentary and artist films. From architecture and historic buildings, art and exhibitions, to processes of film and TV making, he subverts and tests the format of TV reporting, exploring the intersection of mediums amidst socio-cultural and political realms. Showcasing mechanisms of cultural production usually hidden from the public eye, Cornelis’ films reveal conflict, anxiety and rivalry within the art world. During his work at BLT (the Belgian Radio and Television company) between 1964 and 1998, the filmmaker produced over two hundred live broadcasts, essays and documentaries, thereby bringing exquisite, avant-garde work to the mass audiences and turning television into art.