Harry Clarke - Darkness In Light
Encyclopedia
'Harry Clarke - Darkness In Light' is a documentary film originally released in 2003 (Irish language version entitled Harry Clarke - Dorchadas i Solas).
artist, book illustrator and stained glass
artist Harry Clarke
(1889-1931) with major contributions from his biographer Nicola Gordon Bowe as well as many stained glass artists, poets and historians. The film takes the artist's work in stained glass
, which was mainly religious & ethereal, and in book illustration
, which was mainly dark & fantastical, as the basis for its title and tells a story of talent, struggle, success and the censorship
of his final masterpiece 'the Geneva Window'. Harry Clarke
brought his expertise in working in fine decorative detail in glass to his book illustrations, most notably in the tales of Hans Anderson and Edgar Allan Poe
where he is compared to Aubrey Beardsley
and which are featured in the film and paralleled with German Expressionist cinema of the time. The film was made in conjunction with the Irish Film Board
and national broadcaster TG4
.
This film won the Best Documentary award at the 2005 Worldwide International Fantasy Film Festival - Toronto
Synopsis
Filmmaker John J Doherty traces the life and work of the IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
artist, book illustrator and stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
artist Harry Clarke
Harry Clarke
Harry Clarke was an Irish stained glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement.- History :...
(1889-1931) with major contributions from his biographer Nicola Gordon Bowe as well as many stained glass artists, poets and historians. The film takes the artist's work in stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
, which was mainly religious & ethereal, and in book illustration
Book illustration
The book illustration is specific type of illustration, which appears in books. Some of modern illustrations are performed by American Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators....
, which was mainly dark & fantastical, as the basis for its title and tells a story of talent, struggle, success and the censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
of his final masterpiece 'the Geneva Window'. Harry Clarke
Harry Clarke
Harry Clarke was an Irish stained glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement.- History :...
brought his expertise in working in fine decorative detail in glass to his book illustrations, most notably in the tales of Hans Anderson and Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
where he is compared to Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Beardsley
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley was an English illustrator and author. His drawings, done in black ink and influenced by the style of Japanese woodcuts, emphasized the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the Aesthetic movement which also included Oscar Wilde and James A....
and which are featured in the film and paralleled with German Expressionist cinema of the time. The film was made in conjunction with the Irish Film Board
Irish Film Board
The Irish Film Board is Ireland’s national film agency and major film funding body. It was recommended for abolition by the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in 2009.-Formative years:...
and national broadcaster TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
.
Awards
This film won the Best Arts Documentary award at the 2004 Celtic International Film Festival.This film won the Best Documentary award at the 2005 Worldwide International Fantasy Film Festival - Toronto
Sources
- Nicola Gordon Bowe. 1994. The Life and Work of Harry Clarke (Irish Academic Press)
- TG4 awards 2004
- Celtic Media Festival awards 1980-2010