Derek Jarman's Wittgenstein (1993)

Wittgenstein is directed by Derek Jarman and produced by Tariq Ali, and is based on the life of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1899-1951), who taught at the University of Cambridge (UK) from 1929 to 1947. A low budget work, this deals with the young Wittgenstein as an engineer in Manchester in the early years of the twentieth century to his death as a noted philosopher in Cambridge, UK. With Clancy Chassay as young Wittgenstein, Karl Johnson as the adult, Michael Gough as Bertrand Russell, Tilda Swinton as Ottoline Morrell and John Quentin1 as Maynard Keynes.

Derek Jarman's garden, Prospect Cottage, Dungeness, Kent

Prospect Cottage near Dungeness power station, which belonged to Derek Jarman (1942–94), and is noted for its bizarre garden. Shingle surrounds the flowers which grow here, although this is light years away from my former post on Vita Sackville-West's garden. Here, the yellow of the flowers blend with the yellow of the door and window frames, objets trouvés abound, bits of metal, sea- and weather-worn phallic posts stand, a part of the John Donne poem 'The Sun Rising' is in relief on a wall, the remains of a rowing boat take a prominent place, stones cluster to form a circle, much appears to be haphazard. I let the photos below speak for themselves.

My other Derek Jarman post:
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Derek Jarman's grave

Derek Jarman's grave, Old Romney, Kent

Just a simple signature without his dates. Derek Jarman (1942–94) was a film director, gardener (a post on Prospect Cottage to follow soon) and author. Although an atheist, he is buried in the churchyard of St Clement:

Jarman lies to the north-west of St Clement.

A view towards the chancel from the eighteenth century minstrels' gallery seats, which doesn't show the box pews painted pink: this was done for the film version of Russell Thorndike's book Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh (1916), which was cinematised in 1963. I don't remember the interpretation paddle being this specific about the colour though, only that it wasn't out of keeping with the originals!

And a glimpse of pink pews.

My other Derek Jarman post:
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Derek Jarman's garden

Oscar Wilde in Charing Cross: London #53

 

'A

CONVERSATION

WITH

OSCAR WILDE

1854 ~ 1900'

 

Derek Jarman wanted to see a statue of Oscar Wilde in London, although he died four years before this came about: Maggi Hambling's sculpture, A Conversation with Oscar Wilde, wasn't installed in Adelaide Street, Charing Cross, until 1998.

 

'We are all

in the gutter,

but some of us

are looking at

the stars.'

 

This famous quotation from Lady Windermere's Fan (1893) faces the head of Wilde at the base of the statue.

 

And Wilde rises from his sarcophagus, cigarette (unfortunately stolen again) poised in hand, to converse with anyone who wishes to take a seat.