‘The sun is God’ – the last words of the painter JMW Turner, allegedly at any rate according to Mike Leigh’s magnificent new Mr Turner. Not a pagan sentiment but a spiritual one that links him to the great film-maker of light, Stan Brakhage. Brakhage admired Turner very greatly and saw him as a kindred spirit.

See my new (Dec. 2014) essay on Brakhage, Leigh and Turner:  http://bit.ly/brakhage_turner

 

Brakhage painting film

Turner’s ‘Snow Storm’ (ca 1844)

 

Brakhage’s painted strips

 

poster for ‘Late Turner’ at Tate Britain