Derek Jarman and actress Margi Clarke in the Gay Traitor bar, The Haçienda, Manchester, at an early Flesh night.
Derek Jarman and Margi Clarke were two pivotal figures in the artistic and cultural scenes of the 1980s, and their connection to Flesh Night at The Hacienda nightclub in Manchester is an example of how the city’s vibrant underground culture attracted individuals from diverse creative fields, uniting music, film, and performance in a heady mix of experimentation and expression.
Derek Jarman was an avant-garde filmmaker, artist, and writer, known for his radical approach to both cinema and visual art. His films, such as Sebastiane (1976), The Last of England (1987), and Caravaggio (1986), were marked by their bold exploration of sexuality, politics, and the human experience, often challenging social conventions. Jarman was openly gay and his works became important touchstones for queer cinema in the 1980s. He was a visionary, whose interests spanned beyond just film, reaching into theatre, visual arts, and music. In Manchester, Jarman found a kindred spirit in the city’s emerging rave scene, where artistic boundaries were being pushed in ways that mirrored his own experimental and anti-establishment ethos.
Margi Clarke, an actress and performer, was also a significant figure in British culture during the 1980s. Best known for her roles in films like Comrades (1986) and Letter to Brezhnev (1985), Clarke was known for her distinct Northern voice, charismatic presence, and her association with the raw energy of the working-class and punk scenes. Her acting was often marked by a gritty authenticity, and she was known for her outspoken, rebellious attitude—qualities that made her a natural fit for the vibrant counterculture surrounding the Manchester music and club scene.
The pair were visitors to Flesh Night, a notorious and influential club night at The Hacienda, one of Manchester’s most iconic nightclubs. Flesh was a night that blurred the lines between different subcultures—punk, new wave, glam, and queer culture—creating an atmosphere where anything went. It was known for its experimental approach to music, often featuring a mix of post-punk, electro, and industrial sounds, alongside cutting-edge performances and a carefree, often hedonistic vibe.
For Jarman and Clarke, Flesh Night wasn’t just about music—it was about expression and the sense of belonging in a space that was as fluid and nonconformist as they were. The club night was a fusion of art, fashion, and music, and for the two creatives, it was a reflection of their own personal and artistic journeys. The scene at Flesh was a collision of visual and aural stimuli, where they could freely interact with Manchester’s alternative community, and where Jarman, in particular, could draw inspiration for his works. Jarman, who was deeply involved in the queer community, saw in Flesh Night a kind of subversive freedom that resonated with his ethos of challenging norms, whether they were artistic, sexual, or social.
Margi Clarke, with her punk-inspired attitude and a keen sense of rebellion, felt at home in the Hacienda’s chaotic, yet inclusive environment. The club, like Jarman’s films, celebrated difference and subversion, where people could shed societal constraints and embrace a more liberated form of self-expression. Clarke was an integral part of the Manchester creative scene during this time, and her presence at Flesh highlighted the connection between the local film, music, and performance cultures.
Their time at Flesh Night symbolised the cross-pollination of various creative forces that were taking root in Manchester during the late 1980s. Jarman, a visionary artist, and Clarke, a performer with a fierce independence, shared the same unorthodox spirit that defined the Manchester rave and club scenes, where art, music, and sexuality intertwined in unpredictable and exciting ways. In many ways, Flesh Night at The Hacienda became a meeting ground for artists, musicians, and performers—much like the work of Jarman and Clarke, it was a celebration of radical, expressive freedom, and it remains a key moment in the history of Manchester’s cultural legacy.
Printed on FUJI CRYSTAL ARCHIVE GLOSS
Professional colour paper from the Fuji Crystal archive range with a gloss finish, which accentuates the colour to give a punchy, rich feel. Gives your image more contrast, glossiness and a punchier colour feel.
