Lessons of the Hour

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Lessons of the Hour

2019

Isaac Julien

Not on view

Lessons of the Hour reflects on the life of Frederick Douglass, the renowned African American abolitionist, offering a poetic exploration of his journey from enslavement to activism. Through Douglass’s encounters and speeches, the installation captures pivotal moments in his quest for freedom and his profound impact on history. Featuring significant figures—such as his wives Anna Murray and Helen Pitts, women’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony, and abolitionist Ottilie Assing—the installation portrays Douglass’s relationships and his engagement with abolitionist movements. Excerpts from Douglass’s speeches, including “Lessons of the Hour” and “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” underscore his philosophical insights, particularly regarding technology’s influence on society, anticipating themes of philosopher Walter Benjamin’s ideas on image reproducibility. 

Filmed at key locations such as Washington, DC and Scotland, where Douglass delivered antislavery speeches, the installation bridges past and present, inviting contemporary audiences to reflect on Douglass’s enduring legacy and relevance. Julien’s Lessons of the Hour is one of the most important works to address the diasporic dimension of resistance to enslavement centered around a major American figure who rose from it to one of its most consequential opponents while also gaining international recognition as an artist and theorist of visual culture.

Artist
Isaac Julien (British, born 1960)
Title
Lessons of the Hour
Edition
3/6 + 1 AP
Date
2019
Object Type
Time-Based Media
Medium
Ten-screen installation, 35mm film and 4K digital, color, 7.1 surround sound
Dimensions
28 minutes 46 seconds
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Phyllis C. Wattis Fund for Major Accessions
Accession Number
2023.54

Currently on view

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