Harry Clarke – Darkness in Light
Directed by John J Doherty Written by John J Doherty Edited by Declan McGrath Screenplay John J Doherty Narrated by John J Doherty | Produced by Catherine Lyons Starring Harry Clarke Director John J Doherty Producer Catherine Lyons | |
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Music by Cyril Dunnion
Gerard Meaney Initial release 2003 (Republic of Ireland) Music director Gerard Meaney, Cyril Dunnion Cinematography John J Doherty, Steve O'Reilly | ||
Harry Clarke – Darkness in Light is a documentary film originally released in 2003 (Irish-language version titled Harry Clarke - Dorchadas i Solas).
Contents
Synopsis
Filmmaker John J Doherty traces the life and work of the Irish 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 Christian Andersen 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.
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