Dec 9, 2022 - Things to Do
New at VMFA: "Lessons of the Hour — Frederick Douglass"
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"The North Star" ("Lessons of the Hour"). Image: Courtesy of the artist and Victoria Miro
VMFA's latest exhibition, "Lessons of the Hour — Frederick Douglass," opens Saturday.
What it is: A 25-minute film presented over 10 screens that's meant to be an immersive meditation on the 19th century abolitionist.
- Artist and filmmaker Sir Isaac Julien shot reenactments of Douglass' travels to Britain and famous writings and speeches, including his 1894 D.C. speech "The Lessons of the Hour," about false narratives used at the time to justify lynchings in the South.
- The scenes are juxtaposed with contemporary shots of racial justice protests.
Why it matters: The exhibition shows Douglass' work and speeches are as relevant today as they were more than 100 years ago.
Bonus: Accompanying "Lessons of the Hour" is a separate exhibit, "A Powerful Influence: Early Photographs of African Americans from the Collection of Dennis O. Williams."
- It shows how 19th century photography was used to uplift and empower Black Americans, including Douglass, and to degrade and dehumanize countless others.
Both exhibitions are free and run through July and May 2023, respectively.