Dancing Ledge
Journals vol. 1
(Autor) Derek Jarman'What started as a book on the frustration of funding led to the writing of an autobiography at forty... I had so little to do in the daylight hours, I stayed up late unbuttoning Levis in back rooms.' In 1984 at the age of 40, the polymath film-maker Derek Jarman began to write his journals. In the first of these diaries, Dancing Ledge, we see his origins as a young artist, written with Jarman's distinctive immediacy, curiosity, and candour. Behind-the-scenes of his first controversial films and stage designs, at glamorous launch parties with friends like David Hockney, Ossie Clarke and Patrick Proktor, to the trials of securing funding, Dancing Ledge is a coming-of-age memoir for all fledgling artists. Dancing Ledge also chronicles a unique time in British history, capturing gay nightlife from the end of the war to the beginning of the AIDS epidemic.
Derek Jarman
Derek Jarman (1942-1994) was an English filmmaker, artist, and writer known for his avant-garde and experimental works. He was a prominent figure in the British New Queer Cinema movement and his films often explored themes of homosexuality, politics, and personal identity.
Jarman's most notable works include the films "Sebastiane" (1976), "Caravaggio" (1986), and "Edward II" (1991), which challenged traditional narrative structures and pushed boundaries in terms of content and style.
In addition to his filmmaking, Jarman was also a prolific writer, penning several books on art, politics, and his own life experiences. His literary style was characterized by its poetic and introspective nature, often blending personal reflections with social commentary.
Jarman's contributions to literature and film have had a lasting impact on the LGBTQ+ community and the art world as a whole. His most famous work, "Blue" (1993), a film consisting solely of a blue screen with voiceover narration, is considered a groundbreaking and influential piece of experimental cinema. Jarman's fearless exploration of queer themes and his bold artistic vision continue to inspire artists and filmmakers to this day.
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