This livestream will begin at 6.30pm
Derek Jarman’s bleak coastal home of Dungeness in Kent, his garden and the nearby landscape surrounding a nuclear power station, a setting Jarman compares to the Garden of Eden or Garden of Gethsemene, became the setting for many of his films.
One of Jarman’s most frequent collaborators, producer James Mackay worked on films such as Blue (1993), The Garden (1990) and Caravaggio (1986).
Joining James in conversation to discuss the role of the garden in Jarman’s films will be artist Peter Fillingham, Jarman’s friend and collaborator: from extracts of Derek’s writings to a discussion of the Hanging Garden at Phoenix House on Charing Cross Road (Jarman’s flat from 1984, a stone’s throw from Soho and the backdrop to the era devoted to “dressing-up” and nocturnal escapades).
The act of gardening gave Jarman the solace and energy to continue working, even after AIDS robbed him of his sight. He created the film Blue (1993) in response to going blind, a meditation on impending death. As his vision slowly deteriorated the colour that remained the longest was blue.