Isaac Julien's What Freedom Is To Me Book Published

This landmark book reveals the scope of Julien’s pioneering practice of over forty years, from the early 1980s to the present day, showcasing works from early films to large-scale, multi-screen installations which investigate the movement of peoples across different continents, times and spaces. It includes some of his early projects as part of Sankofa Film and Video Collective (1983–92); his critically acclaimed ten-screen film installation Lessons of the Hour 2019, a portrait of the life and times of Frederick Douglass, the visionary African American orator, philosopher and self-liberated freedom-fighter; and Once Again ... (Statues Never Die) 2022.

The wide range of writers and collaborators who have contributed to this book include Caleb Azumah Nelson, Maria Balshaw, Celeste-Marie Bernier, Adam Finch, Jack Halberstam, Nina Kellgren, Nathan Ladd, Luigia Lonardelli, Isabella Maidment, Mark Nash, Irit Rogoff, Wole Soyinka, and Bradford Young. 

The essays highlight Julien’s critical thinking and the way his work breaks down barriers between different artistic disciplines, drawing from film, dance, photography, music, theatre, painting and sculpture by using the themes of desire, history and culture.

Featuring strikingly beautiful reproductions of these extraordinarily powerful works, this publication enriches our understanding and appreciation of a remarkable artist.