Institute of Contemporary Art Miami ICA Miami

Isaac Julien, one of today’s most prominent and influential figures in media art and film, discusses Vagabondia (2000), his career, and influences with Alex Gartenfeld, Artistic Director at ICA Miami, for the inaugural Fall 2021 lecture of ICA Speaks. ICA Speaks features artists from the museum’s permanent collection, and highlights the strength of our holdings through original scholarship.

Isaac Julien creates audiovisual installations, documentaries, and photographs that explore Black and queer histories and identities. Julien gained international attention for his iconic film Looking for Langston (1989), a montage that reimagines the life of poet, novelist, and playwright Langston Hughes during the Harlem Renaissance. Julien’s works emerge from in-depth investigations of history, blurring the barriers between film, dance, photography, music, theater, painting, and sculpture.