Isaac Julien: I Dream a World
This exhibition showcases ten of Julien’s most significant multi-screen installations created between 1999 and 2022, along with a selection of his earlier single-channel films. Spanning more than three decades, the show emphasizes Julien’s pioneering role in video art and his contributions to global conversations on identity, representation, and justice. It offers an immersive, non-linear cinematic experience in which viewers move physically through layered narratives and perspectives.
“Isaac Julien: I Dream a World” will be on view at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California, from April 12 to July 13, 2025. It is presented in the Herbst Special Exhibition Galleries and Wilsey Court, with some installations freely accessible to the public. This exhibition is the artist’s first major U.S. survey and the most extensive presentation of his work in the country to date.
Exhibition Description
“I Dream a World” brings together seminal works such as Looking for Langston (1989), Baltimore (2003), Ten Thousand Waves (2010), and Lessons of the Hour (2019), among others. These films address complex topics such as Black and queer identity, African diaspora, colonial legacies, and the restitution of African cultural heritage. Through lush imagery, poetic storytelling, and experimental structure, Julien invites viewers to become active participants in his visual explorations. The exhibition is curated by Claudia Schmuckli, who has reimagined the gallery space to accommodate the artist’s distinct multimedia approach, including acoustically-insulated screening rooms for deeper engagement.
Gallery
