James Mackay: Derek Jarman and Super 8 Film
James Mackay met Derek Jarman in 1979 whilst working at the London Filmmakers’ Co-op. In 1981, he established a production and distribution company Dark Picture, concentrating on new film and video.
He began collaborating with Jarman and produced some of his most important films including The Angelic Conversation (1985), The Garden (1990) and Blue. Thanks to his dedication to experimental film, Jarman saw him as the ‘most faithful to an idea of cinema’ of all the producers he worked.
Jarman bequeathed his Super 8 films to Mackay, who has painstakingly archived and restored the collection of ninety-two rarely seen films in order to prevent them being lost for ever.
James, who produced films including The Garden, is working with The LUMA Foundation on curating and restoring Jarman’s film works.
Excerpts from “The Garden” courtesy of Basilisk Communications.
Excerpts from “Studio Bankside” courtesy of Luma Foundation.
Installation photos by Graham Lacdao.