Glimlach in slow motion | By Derek Jarman

In Modern Nature there is Smiling in Slow Motion, the last diary kept by artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman (1942–1994) before his death in 1994; translated by Henny Corver and Nico Groen. Jarman remained a passionate advocate for gay rights and was critical of British politics until his death from AIDS-related causes. The work is written from his wooden cottage in Dungeness, a messy London apartment, and ultimately the hospital bed. They are defiant, life-affirming reflections on art and gardening and form a radical protest. His work, but in particular Prospect Cottage – Jarman’s wooden house surrounded by a pebble-raised flower garden on the Kent coast – continues to inspire artists and art lovers around the world.