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NEWS 500 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607-1484 585.276.8900 mag.rochester.edu MAGRochester MAGRochester MAG_Binstock magur MAGRochester MAG Contact: Rachael Brown, Director of Marketing and Engagement: 585.276-8937; [email protected] MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTS Isaac Julien Lessons of the HourFrederick Douglass World premiere of the ten-screen film installation Isaac Julien, Lessons of the Hour, 2019. Courtesy the Artist, Metro Pictures New York, and Victoria Miro London/Venice Rochester, NY, January 24, 2019 The Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester is pleased to announce the exhibition Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass , featuring a ten-screen installation titled Lessons of the Hour by artist Isaac Julien. The work is inspired by episodes in the life of Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), and the issues of social justice that shaped his life’s work. Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass will open at Continue ~
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MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTSmag.rochester.edu/news/FINAL-Lessons-of-the-Hour-for... · 2019-01-24 · MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTS Isaac Julien Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass

Jun 03, 2020

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Page 1: MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTSmag.rochester.edu/news/FINAL-Lessons-of-the-Hour-for... · 2019-01-24 · MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTS Isaac Julien Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass

NEWS 500 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607-1484

585.276.8900 • mag.rochester.edu

MAGRochester MAGRochester MAG_Binstock magur MAGRochester

MAGContact:RachaelBrown,DirectorofMarketingandEngagement:585.276-8937;[email protected]

MEMORIALARTGALLERYPRESENTS

IsaacJulien

LessonsoftheHour—FrederickDouglassWorldpremiereoftheten-screenfilminstallation

Isaac Julien, Lessons of the Hour, 2019. Courtesy the Artist, Metro Pictures New York, and Victoria Miro London/Venice

Rochester,NY,January24,2019TheMemorialArtGalleryoftheUniversityofRochesterispleasedtoannouncetheexhibitionLessonsoftheHour—FrederickDouglass,featuringaten-screeninstallationtitledLessonsoftheHourbyartistIsaacJulien.TheworkisinspiredbyepisodesinthelifeofFrederickDouglass(1818–1895),andtheissuesofsocialjusticethatshapedhislife’swork.LessonsoftheHour—FrederickDouglasswillopenatContinue~

Page 2: MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTSmag.rochester.edu/news/FINAL-Lessons-of-the-Hour-for... · 2019-01-24 · MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTS Isaac Julien Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass

NEWS 500 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607-1484

585.276.8900 • mag.rochester.edu

MAGRochester MAGRochester MAG_Binstock magur MAGRochester

MAGonMarch3,2019,withatwo-gallerypresentationfeaturing,inthefirstgallery,threetintypes—anearlytypeofphotographyinwhichthephotographicemulsionispresentedonametalplate.TheseareportraitsofperformersinLessonsoftheHour.Thesecondgallerywillshowcasetheworldpremiereoftheten-screenfilminstallation.IsaacJuliencreatedtheinstallationusingbothanalogueanddigitaltechnologies:35mmcolorfilmaswellas4kdigital.Juliendescribestheexhibitionasa“stagingofhistoryseenthroughacontemporarylens.Itopenswithtintypessuggestingthearchiveofthepast,andwhichtakeonadditionalresonanceinthemulti-screeninstallationthatfollows.”TheexhibitionwillbeonviewattheMemorialArtGallerythroughMay12,2019.LessonsoftheHourwillalsopremiereatMetroPictures,NewYork,onMarch8,withapresentationoflarge-scalephotographicworksandtheten-screenfilminstallation.FrederickDouglasswasavisionaryAfricanAmericanabolitionist,afreedslavewhowasalsothemostphotographedmanofthe19thcentury.Julien’sprojectisinformedbysomeoftheabolitionist’smostimportantspeeches,suchas“LessonsoftheHour,”“WhattotheSlaveIsthe4thofJuly?”and“LectureonPictures,”thelatterbeingatextthatconnectspicture-makingandphotographytohisvisionofhowtechnologycaninfluencehumanrelations.Inthefilm,thecharacterofDouglasswillinteractwithotherculturaliconsofhistime,namelyphotographerJ.P.Ball;AnnaMurrayandHelenPitts,whowereDouglass’twowives;AnnaandEllenRichardson,thetwoEnglishQuakeresseswhoallowedDouglasstoreturntoAmericaasafreeman;SusanB.Anthony,thesuffragistandDouglass’longtimefriend;andOttilieAssing,afeministfriendandlover.Mostlywomen,thesecharacterswerechosenforbeingrepresentativesofidealsofequality,whichwereasimportantthenastheyaretoday.ThroughextensiveuseofFrederickDouglass’“timelywords,”IsaacJuliengivesexpressiontothezeitgeistofDouglass’era,hislegacy,andwaysinwhichhisstorymaybeviewedtoday.TheworkwasshotinWashington,DC,whereDouglasslivedlateinlife,andwherehishouseinCedarHillhasbeenkeptalmostintactasaNationalHistoricSite;andinScotland,whereDouglasswasanactivememberofthe“SendBacktheMoney”movement,andwherehedeliveredanumberofanti-slaveryspeeches,whichJulienrestagedinsideLondon’sRoyalAcademyofArts.Douglassdeliveredmorethan300lecturesinScotland,Ireland,andEnglandashesoughttoaffirmhisstruggleforequalityasaglobalcitizenwhowasverymuchaheadofhistime.WorkinginconsultationwithProfessorCeleste-MarieBernieroftheUniversityofEdinburgh,authorofIfISurvive:FrederickDouglassandFamilyintheWalterO.EvansCollection,IsaacJulienimaginesthepersonofFrederickDouglassthroughaseriesoftableauxvivants.ComposerPaulGladstoneReidcreatedthefilm’soriginalscore.IsaacJulienisapioneeroftheartofthemovingimagewho,sincetheearly1990s,hasinnovatedadistinctivenon-linear,multi-screenformofstorytelling.AdamFinch,Julien’slongtimeeditor,isakeycollaboratorinthisregard.Julien’sopen-endednarrativesproposethatspectatorsactivelyinterprettheworkthroughaphysicalandsensorialimmersion.Drawingfrompainting,architecture,photography,performance,andsound,Julienconstructspoeticnarrativesofhybridscenes.“Duetothenatureofmypractice,”theartisthasstated,“Idonotproducemyfilmsusingastandardfilmicconstruction,whichismainlygroundedinscriptwriting.Ioftenworkonmultiplescreens,whichdemandsamontagetechniquespeciallydevelopedforthatpurpose.Ipaygreatattentiontosetdécor,lighting,performance,mise-en-scène,aswellasediting,sonic,andvisualeffectstocreateaspaceformeditationonpoliticalandculturalquestions.”TheprojectcuratorJohnG.Hanhardtnotes,“IsaacJulienisamasterofthemovingimage.Hisfilmsandinstallationsdemonstrateacompletecommandofthemedium.InanextraordinarybodyofworkspanningalmostthreedecadesandincludingsuchmasterpiecesasParadiseOmeros(2002)andTenThousandWaves(2010),JulienContinue~

Page 3: MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTSmag.rochester.edu/news/FINAL-Lessons-of-the-Hour-for... · 2019-01-24 · MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTS Isaac Julien Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass

NEWS 500 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607-1484

585.276.8900 • mag.rochester.edu

MAGRochester MAGRochester MAG_Binstock magur MAGRochester

hascreatedinstallationsthatbringhistoryandindividualstoriesalive.Thereisnoartistworkingtodaywhomakessuchcompellingandpowerfulstatementsaboutglobalforcesshapinghistoryandourworld.Hismovingimagesastonishandinform,anddemonstratehowartcanspeaktoallofus.”JonathanP.Binstock,MAG’sMaryW.andDonaldR.ClarkDirector,hassaidthat“realizingthisprojectandbringingIsaacJulien,oneofthemostimportantandinfluentialartistsworkingtoday,toRochesteristheculminationofoneofMAG’sgrandestambitions,whichistobeaplatformforthecreationofnewworksofartforourlocalaudiencethatwillberelevantglobally.WelookforwardtosharingthisworkofartinspiredbyRochesterwithaudiencesaroundtheworld.”LessonsoftheHour—FrederickDouglassisthesecondexhibitiontobepresentedaspartof“ReflectionsonPlace,”aseriesofmediaartcommissionsinspiredbythehistory,culture,andpoliticsoftheCityofRochester,NewYork,andcuratedbyworld-renownedauthorityonthemovingimageJohnG.Hanhardt.Thefirstexhibition,NOSFERATU(TheUndead),byJavierTéllezwasonviewatMAGApril22–June17,2018.Thethirdcommission,byartistDaraBirnbaum,willbeonviewatMAGApril14–October13,2019.ProjectCreditLineThe“ReflectionsonPlace”seriesofmediaartcommissionsbytheMemorialArtGalleryispresentedbytheZellFamily,andDeborahRonnenandShermanLevey.LessonsoftheHourwascommissionedandacquiredbytheMemorialArtGallerywithgeneroussupportfromMarkFalconeandEllenBruss,FordFoundation,VIAArtFund,andLoriVanDusen.ThecommissionisalsomadepossiblebyBarbaraandAaronLevine,DeborahRonnen,theMauriceandMaxineFormanFund,theMarionStrattonGouldFund,theHerdle-MooreFund,theStrasenburghFund,andtheLymanK.andEleanoreB.StuartEndowmentFund.ProductionoftheworkisgenerouslysupportedbyMetroPictures,NewYork;theArtsDivisionoftheUniversityofCaliforniaSantaCruz;LauriFirstenberg;andbyEastmanKodakCompany,onwhosefilmstocktheinstallationwasshot.InRochester,theexhibitionismadepossiblebytheMargaretDavisFriedlichandAlanandSylviaDavisMemorialFund,theRobertA.andMaureenS.DobiesEndowmentFund,theKayserFund,theElizabethandEricRennertFamilyFoundation,theRobertL.andMaryL.SproullFund,andananonymousdonor.AbouttheArtistIsaacJulienCBERA(U.K.,b.1960;livesandworksinLondon)isaglobalartistwhosecommandofthemovingimagehasnotonlytransformedinstallationart,butalsohowwecanrelatetohistoryandtheneedtorearticulateit.Heisacclaimedforhissubtleandcompellingfilmsaswellasforhisvibrantandinventivemediaartinstallations.Hecametoprominenceinthefilmworldwithhis1989drama-documentaryLookingforLangston,gainingacultfollowingwiththispoeticexplorationofauthorLangstonHughesandtheHarlemRenaissance.Duringthepasttwodecadeshehasmadeworklargely,thoughnotexclusively,forgalleriesandmuseums,usingmulti-screeninstallationstoexplorenarrativeandtherepresentationofmemory,desire,andculturaldisplacement.LessonsoftheHourisJulien’sfirstworkmadeintheUSsinceBaltimore(2003).IsaacJulienisProfessorofDigitalArtsattheUniversityofCaliforniaSantaCruz,whereheandProfessorMarkNashareestablishingtheIsaacJulienLabSantaCruzforartistswhowanttoconceptualize,create,andexhibitworksinvolvingmovingandstillimages.Julien’sworkisheldincollectionsthatincludeTate,London;MuseumofModernArt,NewYork(MoMA);CentrePompidou,Paris;SolomonR.GuggenheimMuseum,NewYork;HirshhornMuseumandSculptureGarden,WashingtonDC;Albright-KnoxArtGallery,Buffalo;FondationLouisVuitton,Paris;LUMAFoundation,Arles;Continue~

Page 4: MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTSmag.rochester.edu/news/FINAL-Lessons-of-the-Hour-for... · 2019-01-24 · MEMORIAL ART GALLERY PRESENTS Isaac Julien Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass

NEWS 500 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607-1484

585.276.8900 • mag.rochester.edu

MAGRochester MAGRochester MAG_Binstock magur MAGRochester

KramlichCollection,SanFrancisco;andZeitzMuseumofContemporaryAfricanArt,CapeTown.Amongthemanybooksandcataloguespublishedonhiswork,Julien’sintellectualbiography,IsaacJulien:Riot,waspublishedbyMoMAin2013tocoincidewiththemuseum’spresentationofthenine-screenprojectionTenThousandWaves,whichispartofMoMA’spermanentcollection.Thenewlyconserveddirector’scutofIsaacJulienandMarkNash’sfilmFrantzFanon:BlackSkinWhiteMaskhasjustbeenreleasedbyFilmMovementDistributors,NY.AbouttheCuratorJohnG.HanhardtisMAG’sconsultingseniorcuratorofmediaarts.HanhardtbeganhiscareerintheDepartmentofFilmatMoMAinNewYorkCity,andfromtherewenttotheWalkerArtCenterinMinneapolistoestablishitsfilmprogramandfilmstudycollection.From1974to1996,hewascuratorandheadofthefilmandvideodepartmentattheWhitneyMuseumofAmericanArt.HewasseniorcuratoroffilmandmediaartsattheSolomonR.GuggenheimMuseumfrom1996to2006,andconsultingseniorcuratoroffilmandmediaattheSmithsonianAmericanArtMuseumfrom2006until2016.Hanhardtisrecognizedfor,amongotherdistinctions,beingaleadingscholarofNamJunePaik,BillViola,andAndyWarhol.AboutMAG’s“ReflectionsonPlace”seriesThemovingimageinallitsformsholdscenterstageintoday’sartworld—fromsingle-channelvideoworksprojectedonascreentoimmersivemultimediainstallations.TheMemorialArtGalleryisundertakingamajornewmediaartsinitiativetobringtheseexcitingcontemporaryartpracticesintoitscollection,exhibition,andeducationprograms.MAGhascommissionedJavierTéllez(Venezuela,b.1969),DaraBirnbaum(U.S.,b.1946),andIsaacJulienaspartofanewmediaartseries,“ReflectionsonPlace,”inspiredbythehistory,politics,andcultureoftheCityofRochester,NewYork.ThethreeworksarebeingindividuallypresentedandwillenterMAG’spermanentcollectionattheendoftheexhibitions.Thefirstcommissiontobecompleted,NOSFERATU(TheUndead)byJavierTéllez,haditsEuropeanpremierefromOctober18,2018toFebruary25,2019attheFondazionePradainMilaninthegroupexhibitionSanguine:LucTuymansonBaroque,whichisorganizedbythecelebratedBelgianpainter,LucTuymans.AboutTheMemorialArtGalleryTheMemorialArtGalleryshowcasesvisualartfromantiquitytothepresentday,includinganoutdoorpublicCentennialSculpturePark.Inadditiontoitspermanentcollection,MAGoffersayear-roundscheduleofspecialexhibitions,lectures,concerts,tours,after-hourssocialevents,andfamilyactivities.Hours:Wednesday–Sunday11amto5pm,anduntil9pmonThursdaysandselectFridays.ClosedMondaysandTuesdays.

Admission:$15;seniorcitizens,$12;collegestudentswithIDandchildren6–18,$6.Alwaysfreetomembers,UniversityofRochesterfaculty/staffandstudents,andchildren5andunder.Half-pricegeneraladmissionThursdaysfrom5–9pmismadepossibleinpartbyMonroeCounty.Formoreinformation,call585.276.8900orvisithttp://mag.rochester.edu/ ###

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Presscontact: MegColombo(585)276-8934/[email protected].