Lessons of the Hour - Frederick Douglass: European Premiere in Edinburgh and London

Isaac Julien is pleased to announce the UK première of Lessons of the Hour - Frederick Douglass, inspired by the life and ideas of the visionary African American abolitionist, a freed slave who achieved extraordinary heights in his lifetime, as a renowned novelist, philosopher, and statesman.

The ten-screen installation alongside photographic artworks will be exhibited at the National Galleries of Scotland (Modern One), opening in the context of the Edinburgh Art Festival. In parallel, a special version of the film will be presented on the Piccadilly Circus screen, in London, as part of a commissioning programme curated by the Royal Academy of Arts.

Also produced for the occasion, a short documentary sheds a light on the making of the film and the connections between Julien's work and Douglass' legacy. Produced by Shifting Vision, an innovative platform exploring the relationship between art and actuality, the piece was made in collaboration with Isaac Julien, Sorcha Carey, and Celeste Marie-Bernier especially for the exhibition in Edinburgh. Following the footsteps of Frederick Douglass throughout the city, the film (trailer below) brings to life Julien’s visionary work.