Dimensions: support: 2515 x 1790 x 36 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Derek Jarman | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Here we have Derek Jarman’s large-scale work, *Ataxia - Aids is Fun.* It is a chaotic explosion of colour and text. How do we even begin to unpack something this raw and visceral? Curator: Jarman throws us right into the heart of his experience, doesn't he? The red screams urgency, maybe even rage, and those tangled words are a desperate cry. Do you see how the 'fun' is almost mocking? Editor: Absolutely, it's like sarcasm turned up to eleven. What strikes me is the vulnerability amidst the chaos. Curator: Precisely! Jarman was unflinchingly honest about his life, his struggles. This isn't just about AIDS; it's about societal indifference, fear, and, ultimately, survival. Did you notice the subversive humor, almost like a dark wink? Editor: Yes, and now I'm seeing more than just chaos; it’s a kind of defiant energy. Thanks for untangling it a bit for me. Curator: And thank you for seeing the threads of humanity in the abstract. Art, like life, is rarely simple, is it?
Comments
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/jarman-ataxia-aids-is-fun-t06768
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
Jarman trained as a painter although he is best known as a film-maker and a campaigner for gay rights. He was diagnosed with HIV in 1986 and became an outspoken critic of the homophobia that surrounded the discussion of AIDS. The title of this work, Ataxia, refers to the neurological condition that causes loss of balance and co-ordination experienced by the artist when his illness attacked his central nervous system. The thick brightly-coloured surface of the painting is the result of Jarman spreading the paint directly with his fingers after his eyesight deteriorated. Gallery label, July 2017
CollectMore like this
