#saveprospectcottage

The Book of Lamentations was not a planned document with a clear timeline so these pages record one of the last arts adventures we had before lockdown when @starrursula and @paulg.art took me to @Iron pressprintmaking for an intro to photo-etch. I was planning my next pilgrimage (these are a series of short performances where I go to various places of LGBT interest and treating them as shrines to Bodhisattvas and making Prostrations and offerings). My next one was to be #prospectcottage the earthly residence of and shrine to Saint #derekjarman Suddenly, although I had always wanted to make the journey the cottage was under threat from developers as we went into the first full lockdown. There was a noble fundraising effort put in place to save the #saveprospectcottage but I was panic stricken because the whole direction of the world was suddenly about covid while this place of remembrance of one of the fiercest voices of resisting the last big deadly virus was under threat. The target was hit just on the last day and the holy place saved. These pages are about that and my rereading “A Saint’s Testament” as part of my Queer Glimpses lectures just before lockdown. Again these pages are part complete and are likely to gradually become more layered- first is the digital design for the photo-etch of the Saint outside the shrine, second a print from that block, next an overly textured test print and following that some research images and tests including a monoprint of his face. Saint Derek in the Lapis Pureland of Infinite Blue Pray For Us. #sketchbookdrawing #sketchbook #photoetch #intaglio #prospectcottage #derekjarmansgarden #derekjarmanhouse #canonised #sistersofperpetualindulgence #icon #relic #pilgrimage #holyground (at Minster Court) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcDSkctMsGk/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Book of Lamentations was not a planned document with a clear timeline so these pages record one of the last arts adventures we had before lockdown when @starrursula and @paulg.art took me to @Iron pressprintmaking for an intro to photo-etch. I was planning my next pilgrimage (these are a series of short performances where I go to various places of LGBT interest and treating them as shrines to Bodhisattvas and making Prostrations and offerings). My next one was to be #prospectcottage the earthly residence of and shrine to Saint #derekjarman Suddenly, although I had always wanted to make the journey the cottage was under threat from developers as we went into the first full lockdown. There was a noble fundraising effort put in place to save the #saveprospectcottage but I was panic stricken because the whole direction of the world was suddenly about covid while this place of remembrance of one of the fiercest voices of resisting the last big deadly virus was under threat. The target was hit just on the last day and the holy place saved. These pages are about that and my rereading “A Saint’s Testament” as part of my Queer Glimpses lectures just before lockdown. Again these pages are part complete and are likely to gradually become more layered- first is the digital design for the photo-etch of the Saint outside the shrine, second a print from that block, next an overly textured test print and following that some research images and tests including a monoprint of his face. #sketchbookdrawing #sketchbook #photoetch #intaglio #prospectcottage #derekjarmansgarden #derekjarmanhouse #canonised #sistersofperpetualindulgence #icon #relic #pilgrimage #holyground (at Dungeness Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKl-cmNBHrj/?igshid=1ei6f8t6k2tg6

I try to keep Instagram now only for archiving my sketchbooks and do that page by page in chronological order but today, being that the heroes @artfund have done amazingly well to try to save Prospect Cottage but because of the current news saturation with the virus and lock down are agonisingly close to saving this vital place as a treasure for Lgbt and art history but low on time (four days left to hit target) I needed to share what a huge and singular influence the work of Derek Jarman has been for me. Most of these are from sketchbook but not in order and some you may have seen before. firstly the solar plate I had made recently @ironpressprintmaking to try to make a saleable set of work to go toward #saveprospectcottage but we closed our studio down the week after because of the situation, I like the plate un-inked because it feels like a golden offering for a saint. Next are two of the small assemblages leading toward work for #arrowsofdesireexhibition about saint Sebastian(“The Club that Silenced Him” and “The Arrow from His Thigh and the Tears of His Mother”) next was a sketchbook from 2014 with the cover dedicated to him but too glossy from varnish, then images of his own sketchbooks, then his autograph from a very early sketchbook of mine, my first clumsy dry point print colourised with ink and Goldfinger, next some of the postcard images from the Arrows exhibition on the night my film of the martyrdom of Sebastian was played before we watched his stunning film and finally the cottage itself which I have always hoped to visit on pilgrimage. Any money given to this appeal is match funded so please, if you value art or heroism please protect this vital resource by giving what you would have spent on a coffee or a pint had we been still at liberty to wander 🙏 #sketchbook #journaling #drawing #queerart #queerartist #actup #outrage #aidsawareness #art #artistsoninstagram #liverpoolartist #saveprospectcottage #dungeness #lgbtq🌈 #queer #saintsebastien #lastofengland #protestexhibition #jubilee #thegarden #blue #arthistory #vitalresource #derekjarman #derekjarmansgarden #derekjarmanhouse #derekjarmanprotest (at Prospect Cottage) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-SNDVngtkx/?igshid=wwo280qzvmyh

I got the chance on Saturday to learn a bit of solar plate polymer printing - I’ve been printmaking for a bit but it was a process I’ve never done before so I wanted to make a collage of images of #saveprospectcottage and Saint #derekjarman - I find the plate often looks more beautiful than the print (which surely isn’t right) when I work but this was so golden it already felt like an ikon. Ideally I’d like to make a short run of the resultant prints, probably in blue and gold and sell them to contribute toward the funding to save this vital and iconic place in queer culture and art history #sketchbook #printmaking #intaglio #collage #saint #derekjarman #prospectcottage #dungeness #queerartist #liverpoolartist #heroworship - if you haven’t donated yet please look at the campaign to save this wonderful place https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Oqen2A7S3/?igshid=9dj0ycb3pcnq

Derek Jarman, Self portrait: oil on canvas, 1959. Amazing show!!! Unforgetable. My favorite artist in the world!!! #saveprospectcottage #derekjarmansgarden (at IMMA - Irish Museum of Modern Art) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8SDA8DgWBO/?igshid=3is9qmb6lq9g

I took this picture when I visited Prospect Cottage four years ago. with my dear @dafnatalmor We sat with late Keith Collins for tea at the white room with the yellow windows. We talked about #sensitiveplants and journeys. It was a magical moment that I will never forget. #saveprospectcottage #derekjarman #derekjarmansgarden #hinneybeast #becomingplant #theendoftheworld @g.u.y.shoham (at Dungeness) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7qSc8EA_2E/?igshid=1mejowyz1vxm5