Derek Jarman
Northwood, UK 31.1.1942 - London 19.2.1994



1970 - 94 Glitterbug
1972 - 80 In the Shadow of the Sun
1976 Sebastiane
1979 The Tempest
1984 Jubilee
1985 The Angelic Conversation
1986 Caravaggio
1988 The Last of England
1989 War Requiem
1989 Projections: The Pet Shop Boys
1990 The Garden
1991 Edward II
1993 Blue
1993 No Alternative
1993 Wittgenstein

His original name was Michael Jarman. His father was a New Zealander who had a career in the RAF, and Derek's childhood was spent at a succession of RAF bases, including RAF Merryfield in Somerset. Derek Jarman and his family moved to Italy for a while. They then went with his father when he was also posted to India and was then seconded to establish the Pakistan Air Force after independence in 1947. He completed a degree in history, English and art at King's College London. He then studied painting at the Slade School, London (1963-67). He exhibited in the Young Contemporaries at the Tate Gallery in 1967, and he had a one-man show at the Lisson Gallery in 1968. He also had his work exhibited at the John Moores exhibition. He then moved into costume and set design for the Royal Ballet. However, the poor reception of his designs for the ENO Don Giovanni at the Coliseum in 1968 led to him to moving away from this type of work. His first work for the cinema was as production designer for Ken Russell's The Devils, (1970). He began making his own films with Sebastiane in 1976. He transferred his painterly skills to the cinema. He also directed pop videos and continued to design for the opera and ballet. On 22nd. December 1986 Derek Jarman was diagnosed as HIV positive, and he revealed his condition a month later. He became a rare public figure to talk openly about his own AIDS illness.