Isaac Julien, Lessons of the Hour

This fall in the Schnitzer Gallery the JSMA presents Sir Isaac Julien’s Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass, a breathtaking meditation on the great 19 th -century abolitionist. Julien’s immersive 10-screen film installation collapses time and space, alternating between contemplative, poetic sequences reflecting Douglass’s long life and travels, and moments of passionate political oratory. In Lessons, Julien has created a profoundly powerful, resonating art experience that brings Douglass thrillingly to life, making clear the importance of his legacy and the continuing relevance of his political voice and moral vision.

Born in 1818, Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and went on to become a masterful writer and orator. He was one of history’s greatest activists for freedom and equality, and an early advocate for women’s suffrage. The author of three important autobiographies written to advocate for abolition, Douglass used his incredible life story, eloquence, and the power of his image to combat the dehumanizing depictions of Black Americans used to justify slavery. In doing so, he became the most photographed American of the 19 th century.

Julien’s video narrative is informed by Douglass’s powerful speeches. It includes excerpts from “Lessons of the Hour,” “What to the Slave Is the 4th of July?,” and the prescient “Lecture on Pictures,” which examines the emergence of photography and its potential to influence human relations. Ray Fearon, a British Shakespearean actor, portrays Douglass within the film, delivering Douglass’s words with a nuanced precision and passionate fire that bring the great historical figure rivetingly to life. Around Fearon/Douglass’s magisterial