Isaac Julien – Looking For Langston (1989/2017)
Image: Michelle Turnbull (Photo: David Alexander; Star Observer)
Known for pioneering multi-screen installations, Isaac Julien is one of Britain’s most influential artists working today with his cinematic and photographic works combining theoretical sophistication with visual luxury and sensuality.
As part of this exhibition Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery will be showcasing Julien’s seminal film Looking For Langston (1989/2017) alongside some newly conceived, large scale, silver gelatin photographic works.
Looking For Langston (1989/2017) focuses on the life of poet Langston Hughes and his relationship to fellow Harlem Renaissance artists. The film earned Julien a cult following and its focus on a black, queer experience within the American cultural landscape retains its urgency and relevance.
Heralded as a landmark in the exploration of artistic expression, a hallmark of New Queer Cinema and regarded as a touchstone for African-American Studies for nearly 30 years, the film has been shown at both MoMA NYC and Tate Britain in 2017 before coming to Sydney this year as part of Sydney’s 40th Mardi Gras Festival.
Until Mar 3. Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, 8 Soudan Lane (Off Hampden St), Paddington. Info: www.roslynoxley9.com.au
