From the outside, the Alfriston cottage named Owlers is handsome but undistinguished. An upcoming art installation in the house offers a tantalizing glimpse of the building’s remarkable history, thanks to a project by acclaimed photographer Gilbert McCarragher.

On Saturday 23 August you can join Gilbert in conversation with curator Beth Greenacre, as they discuss the threads that connect McCarragher's acclaimed book Prospect Cottage: Derek Jarman's House with the new project and exhibition.

Known for his atmospheric and emotionally resonant photography, McCarragher reflects on how his work at Jarman's iconic Dungeness home laid the groundwork for his artistic approach to Owlers, a 16th-century Sussex cottage layered with its own history, identity and memory. Expect a fascinating discussion touching on the role of place in storytelling, the relationship between architecture and emotion, and how photography can hold traces of the lives once lived in a space.

The discussion will begin at Owlers at 2:30pm on Saturday 23 August; you can expect it to end between 3:30 and 4pm. The cottage is located on West Street, a short stroll from the Dene Car Park.

Entrance cost £7.50, in advance, including a welcoming glass of bubbly. Proceeds will benefit the The Sussex Heritage Trust. A limited number of seats are available; we can only offer a place to anyone showing up without a reservation if there is space available, so we encourage everyone to secure a place in advance.

We will not be issuing tickets - a guest list will be kept at the door.

Copies of Gilbert’s book, Prospect Cottage: Derek Jarman’s House, will be available to purchase at the talk.

About the Speakers

Gilbert McCarragher is an artist and photographer, and author of Prospect Cottage: Derek Jarman’s House, published by Thames & Hudson.

McCarragher is known for his refined architectural and design photography. His images are characterised by their quiet stillness, clarity and use of natural light.

Over the past two decades, McCarragher has collaborated with some of the world's leading architects, designers and artists. His work has been published in numerous books and international publications, including El Croquis, Domus and John Pawson Plain Space (2010).

As an artist, McCarragher works in multiple photographic mediums and has exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art (London), Jerwood Space and the Wapping Project.

Beth Greenacre is a curator, advisor and consultant. A Courtauld graduate, Beth was the curator of the David Bowie collection between 1999 and 2016 and a director of Bowieart, an online platform to support young emerging artists. 

More recent curatorial projects have included Beautiful Collisions and Grounding, two major installations as part of the inaugural SXSW London festival for which she was Advisor and LIVING MEMORY, with work by Louise Bourgeois, Gideon Rubin and musician Nicolas Godin. Alongside her curatorial and advisory work, Beth is a member of the Executive Committee of The Association of Women in the Arts, the New Contemporaries 75th Anniversary Development Committee and The Whitechapel’s Art Icon 2025 Committee.