Isaac Julien: Lessons of the Hour

After escaping from slavery in 1838, Frederick Douglass became one of the key voices in the early American civil rights movement. An outspoken abolitionist with a notable gift for writing and public speaking, his words on social reform spread across the world and brought him great attention: Douglass was the most photographed man of his day. In a 10-screen film installation titled Lessons of the Hour (2019), recently acquired by MoMA, Isaac Julien considers Douglass’s fame (and notoriety) and his personal and public lives – through period re-enactments and excerpts from his speeches, writings and correspondence. The exhibition also features a number of other objects relating to Douglass, including pamphlets of his speeches and first edition copies of his memoirs (19 May to 28 September).

Find out more from MoMA’s website.

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