Historical visual research and the use of archival sources form the backdrop of Julien’s filmmaking, photographic and cinematic processes. The visual research is then further expanded not only while on the film set but also during the post-production stage. His works, flowing along poetic narratives, do not adhere to linearity but evolve in a musical notational choreography. He says, ‘I pay great attention to set décor, lighting, performance, mise-en-scène, as well as editing, sonic, and visual effects to create a space for meditation on political and cultural questions.’

Born in Honeoye, New York, in 1838, Helen Pitts was a white suffragist whose parents were also activists in the abolitionist and suffragist movements. She married Douglass in 1884. While the marriage generally drew scorn from both the white and Black communities, the Douglasses were firm in their convictions. ‘Love came to me, and I was not afraid to marry the man I loved because of his color,’ Helen said.

Isaac Julien, CBE RA (born 1960) is a critically acclaimed British artist and filmmaker. In 2018, Julien joined UC Santa Cruz where he is the distinguished professor of the arts and leads the IJ Lab together with Arts Professor Mark Nash. Recent international solo exhibitions include: Isaac Julien: Western Union: Small Boats, Neuberger Museum, New York (2020); Isaac Julien: Frederick Douglass: Lessons of the Hour, ​SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah (2019); Looking for Langston at Tate Britain (2019); and Playtime at LACMA (2019). Julien has previously exhibited at venues including Museum of Modern Art, New York (2013), Art Institute of Chicago (2013), Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego (2012), and Pompidou Centre Paris (2005).