Richard Hamilton by Jef Cornelis

This rare film shows artist Richard Hamilton discussing his work in the context of the 1971 Palais des Beaux-Arts exhibition in Brussels. Made by pioneering filmmaker Jef Cornelis who chronicled the developments of contemporary art from the 1963–98 for Belgian television as part of his legendary body of over 200 films. With rare candour Hamilton discusses his work in-depth, including his relation to artists such as Francis Bacon and Marcel Duchamp and the difference between pop art and fine art.

Jef Cornelis, Belgium 1971, 16 mm transferred to video, black & white, sound, 36 min
Original broadcast date on Flemish television network VRT on September 1st 1971. Distributed by Argos, center for art and media

(Antwerp 1941)

For 35 years Cornelis worked as director and scriptwriter for VRT, the Dutch-language Belgian public broadcasting corporation where he pioneered arts television. Together with films on architecture, theatre and literature he produced many films on artists including Marcel Broodthaers, Daniel Burden, James Lee Byars, Ian Hamilton Finlay, David Hockney and Martial Raysse among others.