SHARPEST: The Biography of Martin Sharp - Volumes 1 & 2

Lowell Tarling recorded Martin Sharp’s life, and his effect on his friends, over twenty years. Now two volumes in one, in advance of the film of these books - GHOST TRAIN… Fully illustrated with a cast of characters including Brett Whiteley, Eric Clapton, Abe Saffron… As Sharp has said: Like the Ancient Mariner it’s also a ghastly tale. I could understand the events at Luna Park a bit. I was trying to understand them and then suddenly there was this poetic language working to say: this is a crucifixion, Golgotha, death by fire. And then it starts to fit into Apocalyptic vision. It was Abraxas if you like - the dark face and the light face. To look upon Abraxas is blindness. To know it is sickness. To worship it is death. To fear it is wisdom. To assist it not is redemption. I don’t know what it means. I’ve never been able to work it out. You get a Pop Art Parallel. It was the Year of the Child, the place of Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, and the Ghost Train. You then get these events that are caused by plotting, not caring for kids, carelessness, living a human life - the way of the world.