Video artist and photographer Jan Locus lives and works in Brussels. His films have been shown at film festivals such as Asolo Art Film Festival (IT), PROYECTOR, Plataforma de Videoarte, Madrid (ES), DokFest Kassel (DE), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen (DE), Split International Festival of New Film (HR), Crossroads, San Fransisco (US), Underneath the Floorboards, Media Art/ Experimental Film, London (UK), FIFA, Montreal (CA), IFFR Rotterdam (NL), Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin (FR/DE), FICBUEU, Pontevedra (ES) and ANTIMATTER [Media Art], Victoria (CA) among others.

His photography and film installations have been seen in art centers such as IKLECTIK Art Lab, London (UK), De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL), Fiber Festival, Amsterdam (NL), Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg (LU), In-Sonora, Madrid (ES), Cinematheque Museum of Modern Art, Rio De Janeiro (BR), ARGOS, Brussels (BE), IKLECTIK Art Lab, London (UK), Musée de la Photographie, Charleroi (BE), De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL), KAAP, Ostend (BE), ISELP, Brussels (BE), Noorderlicht International Photo Manifestation, Groningen (NL), FOMU, Antwerp (BE) and Les Rencontres d’Arles (FR) among others.

In The Distance Between Us a dialogue between East and West unfurls through the audio letters of an immigrant family in Molenbeek. They bear witness to the pain and yearning of the ones who stayed behind. The Distance between Us premiered at IFFR Rotterdam (2018) and was nominated for the Found Footage Award by IFFR.

Murmur a collaboration with sound artist Stijn Demeulenaere won the second prize at The Engine Room International Sound Art Competition, London (UK), the first prize at Split Video Art festival and world premiered at IFFR Rotterdam (2020).

His latest film Masters of the Land about the rise of mining and climate change in Mongolia, interweaves texts by shamaness Kyrgys Khurak and Hungarian poet Ferenc Juhasz with medium long shots and submerges the viewer in an intoxicating finale. Masters of the Land won the SIGNS Award at Festival Internazionale Segni della Notte, Urbino (IT) and Best Video Art award at Hummingbird Film Festival (ID). Masters of the Land was included in La Internacional Cinéfila Poll, Best Films of 2021 by Nicole Brenez, film historian and theoretician and premiered at Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Louvre auditorium, Paris (2021).

FILMOGRAPHY

Masters of the Land (2021), Murmur (2020), The Distance Between Us (2018), Confusing Drum (2016)

BOOKS

Devoted, Lannoo (2012), Mongolia, FOMU, Museum for Photography Antwerp & Cypres (2005), De Bewegende Stad, FOMU, Museum for Photography Antwerp (1997)

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS / SCREENINGS

• 2023, Kino Club, Helsinki (FI)
• 2023, Ecosystem Assembly exhibition, Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain (LU)
• 2022, PROYECTOR, Plataforma de Videoarte, Madrid (ES)
• 2022, ETHNOCINECA, International Documentary Film Festival Vienna (AT)
• 2022, Breedbeeld Film Festival, guest program curated by film magazine Fantômas (BE)
• 2022, Braziers International Film festival, Ipsden (UK)
• 2022, The First Persian Independant Experimental Short Film Festival, Tehran (IR)
• 2022, In-Sonora, 12th International showing of Sound and Interactive Art, Madrid (ES) 
• 2022, Hummingbird Film Festival (ID)
• 2021, Split Videoart Festival, Split (HR) 
• 2021, Internationale Festival Zeichen der Nacht (Signes de Nuit), Berlin (DE)
• 2021, Festival ECRÃ, Rio de Janeiro (BR)
• 2021, Asolo Art Film Festival, Asolo (IT) 
• 2021, Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin (DE)
• 2021, DOBRA – Int’l Experimental Film Festival, Rio de Janeiro (BR)
• 2021, FICBUEU Experimental Competition, Bueu, Pontevedra (ES) 
• 2021, International Festival Signs of the Night (Signes de Nuit), Bangkok (TH)
• 2021, CROSSROADS film festival, San Francisco Cinematheque (US)
• 2021, Festival international Signes de Nuit, Paris (Fr) 
• 2021, ANTIMATTER [Media Art], Victoria (CA) 
• 2021, TRANÅS AT THE FRINGE International Screening of Experimental Films (SE)
• 2021, ISFFC International Short Film Festival Canton (CH)
• 2021, Hummingbird Film Festival (ID)
• 2021, International Moving Film Festival, Khouzestan (IR)
• 2021, Kinemastik International Short Film Festival (MA)
• 2021, Festival internacional Signos da Noite, Lisboa (PO)
• 2021, Swedenborg Film Festival, London (UK)
• 2021, Underneath the Floorboards, Media Art/ Experimental Film, London (UK) 
• 2021, winner SIGNS AWARD Festival internazionale Segni della Notte, Urbino (IT)
• 2021, Festival internazionale Segni della Notte, Urbino (IT)
• 2021, World premiere Masters of the Land at RENCONTRES INTERNATIONALES PARIS/BERLIN Live streaming from Louvre auditorium Program “The machine man and ecstasy”
• 2021 BRAZIERS, International Film Festival, Braziers Park, Oxfordshire (UK)
• 2021, “This Is Where We Are Right Now” – 8th annual video art exhibition at the Aggregate Space Gallery, Oakland (CA)
• 2021 BAFF, Brussels Art Film Festival, Brussels (BE)
• 2021 ARKIPEL Int’l Documentary and Experimental Film Festival, Jakarta (ID)
• 2020 winner GRAND PRIX , Split Videoart Festival (Split, HR)
• 2020 Asolo Art Film Festival, Asolo (IT)
• 2020 ARKIPEL International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival, Jakarta (ID)
• 2020 So Far/ So Close (solo) Schönfeld Gallery, Rivoli building, Brussels (BE)
• 2020 FIFA, International Festival of Films on Art, Montreal (CA)
• 2020 Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Paris (FR)

2020 World premiere Murmur at IFFR, International Film Festival Rotterdam (NL)
2020 Schönfeld Gallery, Brussels (BE)
2019 VIDEO BAR, On Screen Writing, ARGOS, Brussels (BE)
2019 IKLECTIK Art Lab, London (UK)
2019 51. Ausstellungsprojekt, Kunstverein: projektraum-bahnhof25, Kleve (DE)
2019 Photobook Belge, FOMU, Antwerp (BE)
2018 International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (DE)
2018 World premiere The Distance Between Us at IFFR, International Film Festival Rotterdam (NL)
2018 De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 Un|settled EXPO, KAAP, Ostend (BE)
2018 EUROVIDEO, European Videoart Festival, Liege (BE)
2018 Symposium, ISELP, Brussels (BE)
2017 DOKfest, Kassel (DE)
2017 COM NU TIES, ARGOS & ISELP, Brussels (BE)
2015 Brugge Foto Festival (BE)
2013 Devoted, Kadoc, Leuven (BE)
2012 Devoted, book presentation & exhibition, Museum Dr. Guislain Gent (BE)
2011 Flanders Gallery International House, Osaka (JP)
2011 In The Margin, Belgian Documentary Photography, Guislain Museum, Ghent (BE)
2011 BELvue museum & Royal Palace, Brussels (BE)
2010 BELvue museum & Royal Palace, Brussels (BE)
2009 Work in progress, Nadaar, KASK, Ghent (BE)
2008 Traces of Devotion, Provinciehuis Louvain (BE)
2008 Kulturpolis, Poznan (PL)
2007 Noorderlicht International Photo Manifestation Groningen (NL)
2006 7 Photographers & 1 Smits, Jakob Smitsmuseum, Mol (BE)
2005 Mongolia, book presentation & exhibition, FOMU, Antwerp (BE)
2003 Agfa Internationaler Preis Für Jungen Bildjournalismus (DE)

AWARDS / GRANTS

• 2021 SIGNS AWARD Festival internazionale Segni della Notte, Urbino (IT)
• 2020 GRAND PRIX , Split Videoart Festival (Split, HR)
• 2019 Second prize, The Engine Room, London (UK)
• 2018 Found Footage Award, nominee IFFR Rotterdam (NL)
• 2016 Project Grant, Flemish Community Commission, Brussels (BE)
• 2016 Project Grant, Fonds Pascal Decroos The Distance Between Us (BE)
• 2015 Grant, Flanders Audiovisual Fund, VAF (BE)
• 2011 Project Grant, Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism (BE)
• 2010 Nikon Press Award Stories: Garbage City (BE)
• 2010 Project Grant, Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism (BE)
• 2009 Project Grant, Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism (BE)
• 2006 Plantin-Moretus Award (BE)
• 2004 Project Grant, Spes, Belgian Foundation to support creation (BE)
• 2003 Laureate Internationaler Preis Für Jungen Bildjournalismus (DE)
• 2001 Project Grant, Pascal Decroos for Special Journalistic Projects (BE)
• 1998 Laureate BP Young European Artists contest (BE)
• 1998 Laureate Prix National Photographie Ouverte (BE)
• 1995 Laureate Internationaler Preis Für Jungen Bildjournalismus (G)
• 1995 Laureate Prix Kodak & Photographies Magazine (Fr)
• 1995 Grant Fondation Belge de la Vocation (BE)
• 1994 Kodak European Panorama Award (Fr)
• 1994 Nikon-Agfa Portrait Award Benelux (BE)
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COLLECTIONS

Argos, Brussels (BE)
FOMU, Museum for Photography Antwerp (BE)
Musée de la Photographie Charleroi (BE)
Hasselblad, Gothenburg (S)
ING Bank, Brussels (BE)
Gands, Antwerp (BE)
Museum Dr. Guislain Gent (BE)

DOCUMENTARY ASSIGNMENTS

2013 European Parliament, Act React Impact campaign, Agency Ogilvy, Bucharest, Barcelona, Brussels
2012 Architectural Review Flanders, Radical Commonplaces, European Architectures from Flanders. VAI
2008 Traces of Devotion, Processions in Flanders, Documentary Assignment for Kadoc, Louvain
2004 Overwerk(t) in de actieve welvaartstaat, Documentary Assignment for KU Leuven
2001 Dam, The Slaughterhouse, Documentary Assignment for the City of Antwerp
1997 De Bewegende Stad, Documentary Assignment, FOMU, Museum for Photography, Antwerp

PUBLICATIONS

• 2020 Als geluiden beelden worden, De Tijd
• 2017 The Distance Between Us, Weliswaar
• 2015 Te propere projecten? Ooggetuige, De Standaard
• 2015 Growing Pains, Mongolia in crisis, Lensculture
• 2014 Groeipijngrens, Mongolië, dS Weekblad
• 2013 Garbage City, dS Weekblad
• 2013 Garbage City, SamPol
• 2012 Garbage City, Private Photo Review Magazine
• 2012 Jezus leeft, dS Weekblad
• 2012 Devoted, SHOOT Magazine
• 2012 Voyeur bij God, De Morgen
• 2012 Ma province hors cliché, Le Vif weekend
• 2012 Vroeger is een ander land, Psychologies
• 2012 Architectuurboek Vlaanderen N°10, VAI
• 2010 Facing Brussels, Moments in a metropolis, BAI & Nadaar
• 2010 De afvalfamilies van Caïro, Weliswaar
• 2011 In De Marge, De Morgen Cultuur
• 2011 In The Margin, Belgian Documentary Photography, Lannoo
• 2011 Nee Sabo is Mauro niet, Brussel Deze Week
• 2010 Facing Brussels, Brussel Deze Week
• 2010 Facing Brussels, Knack
• 2010 De naakte Mohammed, Weliswaar
• 2009 Building a fair world, Mali, Catalogus BTC
• 2009 De nieuwe daklozen van Amerika, De Tijd
• 2009 De nieuwe daklozen van Amerika, Weliswaar
• 2008 The Holy Land Experience, De Standaard
• 2008 Traces of Devotion, Processions in Flanders, published by Kadoc
• 2008 De hemel in tegenlicht, OKV, Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen
• 2007 Act of Faith, Catalogus, Noorderlicht festival
• 2005 Tussen tent en flat, Mongolië, Brussel Deze Week
• 2005 Hoe Marx en Lenin om de tuin werden geleid, DS Magazine
• 2002 De passie en de pijn, Genieten
• 2001 God in Cuba, Expres
• 2001 De wereldkampioenen van Blackpool, De Morgen
• 2001 Lalibela, Ethiopië, FOTO
• 2001 De Antwerpse slachthuiswijk, De Morgen
• 2000 Dromen met harde vuisten, Cuba, Expres
• 2000 Children of our Time, Hasselblad
• 1999 De bewegende stad, FOTO
• 1999 Les yeux virils des descendants de Genghis Khan, Le Matin
• 1999 Greyhound Races in London, De Morgen
• 1999 IJzerbedevaart, De Morgen
• 1998 The twilight zone, The Bulletin
• 1998 De bewegende stad, Kontakt
• 1998 Het dodenhuis in de bergen, Mongolië, De Morgen
• 1998 Koffiepauze aan de vooravond, Lissabon, De Morgen
• 1998 Oceanen van devotie en vodka, Mongolië, De Morgen
• 1997 De metropool vierkant en bewogen, De Morgen
• 1996 Le Sinn Féin va aux urnes à reculons, Belfast, Libération
• 1996 Blackpool, proletariërs in plaats van parasols, De Morgen
• 1996 Een voetreis naar de hemel, De Morgen
• 1996 Mariaverering in Vlaanderen en Polen, FOTO
• 1995 Internationaler Preis Für jungen Bildjournalismus, Catalogus
• 1995 Dakloos in Brussel, DS Magazine
• 1995 Laat ons onder uw mantel staan, DS Magazine