Tony Peake, Derek Jarman: The Authorised Biography

We are thrilled to welcome Tony Peake in celebration of this new edition of Derek Jarman: The Authorised Biography covering Jarman’s story from childhood to student life and his work as a designer, painter, and filmmaker. New contributions look at Jarman’s impact and legacy over the past five decades and his position as one of the late twentieth century’s most celebrated cultural figures.

This event is in partnership with The Minories.

Sunday 22nd June, 2.00pm

Venue: The Minories, 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE

Tickets: £12 / £10 concessions (Students, Under 27s and Unwaged)

Box Office: essexbookfestival.org.uk or Mercury Theatre 01206 573948

This event is part of our Day on the Wild Side at The Minories on Sunday 22nd June

12.00 – 3.00pm Storytelling and Family Fun in The Minories Garden

2.00pm Tony Peake, Derek Jarman: The Authorised Biography

4.00pm Maggi Hambling and James Cahill, The Violet Hour

6.00pm Radhika Howarth, Flavours Without Borders at The Commons Community Kitchen & Cafe at The Minories

Find out more at essexbookfestival.org.uk/a-day-on-the-wild-side/

Derek Jarman: The Authorised Biography by Tony Peake

New edition of the classic authorised biography of one of the late twentieth century’s most celebrated cultural figures.

‘The definitive biography’ – Neil Tennant
‘Monumentally well researched and fittingly respectful’ – The Times
‘Outstanding’ – Financial Times
‘Peake has given Derek Jarman the biography he deserves’ – Gay Times

Derek Jarman: The Authorised Biography by Tony Peake was first published in 1999, five years after Jarman’s death and has been out of print for ten years. This new edition has contributions by Olivia Laing and Jon Savage, looking at Jarman’s impact and legacy over the past five decades. Tony Peake enjoyed unprecedented access to the visionary artist’s archives and the new edition includes hitherto unpublished photographs.

This authorised and unique biography covers Jarman’s story from the bleakness of post-war Britain and his RAF childhood, to student life at The Slade and his work as a designer, painter and filmmaker. It tells how energetic home filmmaking with dazzling friends led to distinctive feature films including Sebastiane, The Tempest, and Caravaggio. There were collaborations with the likes of Sir John Gielgud and Tilda Swinton and Jarman was also at the forefront of popular culture, producing distinctive music videos for Pet Shop Boys and The Smiths.

Alongside his art and a significant body of writing, Jarman created a singular garden in the shingle surrounding Prospect Cottage at Dungeness in Kent, which has become a site of memorial, celebration and pilgrimage. He became known as an impassioned and provocative spokesperson not only for gay men, but for anyone oppressed by bigotry.

Derek Jarman died of AIDS-related causes in February 1994 and Peake describes his inimitable courage and grace in the face of painful death, and the legacies Jarman left behind.

Order a copy of Derek Jarman: The Authorised Biography by Tony Peake at the Essex Book Festival online bookshop at bookshop.org

Tony Peake

Photo of Tony Peake credit Katherine Lees

Tony Peake is a novelist, short story writer, biographer and also worked for many years as a literary agent. He became friends with Derek Jarman during the last eight years of Jarman’s life. His novel, If It’s Tuesday will be published later this year (Roundfire Books). He currently spends most of his time, when not travelling, in London and Essex, where he lives with his civil partner and enjoys being grandfather to his five grandchildren. He is a patron of the Jarman Award, which supports and champions the most innovative UK-based artists working with moving image.

Tony Peake will be in conversation with James Cahill

Photo of James Cahill credit Marc Vallee

Dr James Cahill is an author, critic and art historian. His debut novel, Tiepolo Blue (2022) was shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award, and was selected in autumn 2024 for the Queen’s Reading Room. His second novel, The Violet Hour, was published in February 2025. He contributes to publications including Artforum, the Brooklyn Rail, the Burlington Magazine, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the London Review of Books, the Spectator, the Times Literary Supplement and the Daily Telegraph. Based between London and Los Angeles, he is currently writing a book on David Hockney’s 1967 painting, Beverly Hills Housewife.