Isaac Julien at gres art 671
Gres art 671 in Bergamo (Italy) presents MUSEUM DREAMS, the first major retrospective in Italy dedicated to the work of Isaac Julien.
Conceived by gres art 671 and curated by Nathan Ladd, MUSEUM DREAMS has been developed specifically for the architectural and conceptual structure of the Bergamo space. Bringing together five major large-scale installations, Once Again . . . (Statues Never Die) (2022); Lina Bo Bardi – A Marvellous Entanglement (2019); Baltimore (2002); Vagabondia (2000); The Long Road to Mazatlán (1999), MUSEUM DREAMS draws on more than three decades of Julien’s practice, highlighting his distinctive approach of working across disciplines including film, dance, photography, music, and sculpture.
With his poetic language, Julien constructs carefully layered narratives that examine desire, social memory and museum histories, offering a critical framework for interrogating and interpreting both historical and contemporary events. At gres art 671, Julien deconstructs the museum spaces as living, active participants in the parcours of his film installations. MUSEUM DREAMS reflects on the architectural settings in which moving image works are presented and preserved – both institutionally and in the repository of our own experiences – foregrounding questions of our time memory through five immersive film installations, alongside sculptures, artefacts, photographs and archival material.
Through this assemblage of works, viewers are invited to become what Julien describes as a “mobile spectator,” moving freely across kaleidoscopic installations where image, sound, and architecture converge. The exhibition unfolds as a sensorial encounter that goes beyond limitations of classification, creating the language of images that disrupts the narrative logic which shapes our everyday perception.
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MUSEUM DREAMS, Isaac Julien
Gres art 671, Bergamo, Italy
On view until October 4, 2026
ABOUT Isaac Julien
Sir Isaac Julien KBE RA (GB, 1960), a London-born filmmaker and installation artist, is celebrated for his groundbreaking approach to art, seamlessly merging film, dance, photography, music, theater, painting, and sculpture to craft compelling visual narratives through multi-screen film installations. Notably, his 1989 documentary-drama “Looking for Langston” and the Cannes Film Festival Semaine de la Critique prize-winning debut feature, “Young Soul Rebels” (1991), garnered critical acclaim on a global scale.
Julien’s international acclaim extends to prestigious solo exhibitions at prominent venues, including the Barnes Foundation, Smith College Museum of Art, and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. His works have graced the walls of renowned institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Julien has made significant contributions to academia, holding key positions at institutions like the University of Arts London and Staatliche Hoscschule fur Gestaltung, Karlsruhe. His educational efforts were further recognized when he was awarded the James Robert Brudner ’83 Memorial Prize and delivered lectures at Yale University in 2016.
Isaac Julien’s dedication to the arts has earned him distinguished accolades, including The Royal Academy of Arts Charles Wollaston Award in 2017 and a knighthood as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Honours List in 2022. Furthermore, he was honored with the esteemed Kaiserring Goslar Award in 2022.
In April 2023, Tate Britain hosted a comprehensive survey show, presenting Isaac Julien’s illustrious career. This exhibition featured works spanning four decades, encompassing early films and expansive multi-screen installations that delve into the themes of global movement and history. It marked the first-ever presentation of Isaac Julien’s extensive body of work in the United Kingdom. Following its showcase at Tate Britain, the exhibition traveled to K21 in Düsseldorf, and later to Bonnefanten in Maastricht in 2024.
