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THE BLOG AT THE CROSSROADS
Revolutions of the Night: The Enigma of Henry Darger
Posted: February 21, 2012
Tomorrow night, Wednesday February 22nd, from 6.45pm, brings the world-premiere screening of an unmissable new documentary movie, Revolutions of the Night: The Enigma of Henry Darger, at The Prince’s Drawing School, 19-22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG, nearest tube Old Street. Tickets cost £7 or £3.50 concessions and must be purchased on the door (no advance or online bookings). Special guest at this screening will be Kiyoko Lerner, guardian of Henry Darger’s amazing works, whose first-hand recollections form an essential part of the documentary.
Revolutions of the Night tells the story of the amazing discovery of Henry Darger’s secret world of writings, paintings, objects and collections, created and collected over decades in his one room apartment in Chicago: apocalyptic visions of an imaginary war-torn planet in which children are pursued and enslaved by a race of evil adults. Darger died unmourned in 1973 and was buried in a pauper’s grave. As far as anyone knew, he had led an anonymous and isolated life, doing so-called menial jobs in hospitals on the north side of Chicago. This documentary charts Darger’s journey from obscurity to what the New York Times has called his ‘almost van Gogh-like mythic stature.’
The documentary reveals the untold truth behind the Darger discovery and captures the confusion, shock and astonishment of residents, landlords and neighbours, artists and students, even visiting psychiatrists who pored over the mysterious contents of Darger’s room at 851 Webster Avenue. Among those appearing in the film is comic artist Chris Ware. For more info and stills, see the Darger Film’s website.
Read The Blog At The Crossroads here.
