Through the Billboard Promised Land Without Ever Stopping
(Author) Derek JarmanPublished here for the very first time, Through the Billboard Promised Land Without Ever Stopping is Derek Jarman's only piece of narrative fiction. Written in 1971, it is a surreal, fabular, lyrical work - a literary fairytale acid-trip road movie hybrid - the energies and details of which influenced much of his later work across media. The richly poetic story, a cinematic prose quest, tracks the journey of a blind young King and his valet, disguised as beggars, who set out in no particular direction and with no particular purpose. Departing from Fargo, across the frontier of Movietown, along the Superhighway and picnicking on the Lawns of Paradise, they encounter vivid characters like Pierrot, Borgia Ginz and Topaz, an Emperor who 'smiles with the art of mirrors', as well as a Sphinx with 'Silence is Golden' written in her eyes. The story serves as a foundational text, laying out many of the themes, images and styling of Jarman's work in painting, film and design whilst also being haunted by the then emerging ecological crisis in its juxtaposition of the beauty of nature with the reckless consumption of modernity. This edition features facsimile images of the story's handwritten drafts from Jarman's archive, a link to an exclusive audio recording of Jarman himself reading the story in full, and is comprehensively informed by a vivid foreword from Philip Hoare, a deeply researched afterword by Jarman scholar Declan Wiffen, and a warm memoir by the artist Michael Ginsborg, a close friend of Jarman's throughout the period of the story's writing.
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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