HOW IMPORTANT WAS PROSPECT COTTAGE TO DEREK IN HIS LIFE WHEN HE FOUND IT?
IT CAME AT A TIME WHEN HIS FATHER HAD JUST DIED, DEREK WAS DIAGNOSED HIV+ AND THERE WAS A BROADER AIDS PANIC GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY. Absolutely, I think that’s more than fair to say, I think that’s true.In fact, I’d go further and say that when Derek discovered he was ill, at that time when so many of his friends were already very ill or had died and there really was a plague feeling.There were all sort of very frightening laws being either passed, or talked about and there was a very strange air of persecution around. When he found out he was ill, I’d go so far as to say, devastating on one level thoughit was, I think as an artist, he was elated.I challenge anybody, well he’s not here… but I think he’s nodding.I remember this feeling of, well also it was, it was a fantastic task, this illness, it was like a task and this death was a real piece of work.And he took it on and he made it into something, just created a thing out of it.I remember it was hilarious very often, I think we g
