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J.P. Ball Studio, 1867 Douglass (Lessons of The Hour), 2019 © Isaac Julien
Turner Prize-nominated British artist Isaac Julien CBE RA brings his acclaimed film-based installation Lessons of the Hour – Frederick Douglass (2019) to Perth Museum. Presented as part of the ARTIST ROOMS programme, Perth is the first venue on the tour and the only place to experience the work in Scotland.
Julien’s work is a meditation on the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass and his time in Scotland. Unique to Perth, the exhibition places Lessons of the Hour – Frederick Douglass (2019) within a wider exploration of Perthshire’s connections to the transatlantic slave trade and Douglass’s links to the region. The exhibition also features spotlight artworks on loan from Montrose Museum and the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum that celebrate black portraiture and the power of the image.
"I am here to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to plead the cause of the perishing slave, and to arouse the energies, excite the sympathies, and obtain the aid and cooperating of the good people of old Scotland in behalf of what I believe to be a righteous cause – the breaking of every yoke, the undoing of heavy burdens, and letting the oppressed go free!"
Frederick Douglass, Arbroath, 12 February 1846Admission is free, however donations are welcome, with a suggested donation of £5.
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Lessons of the Hour runs from 9 October 2026 – 11 April 2027.
Please note that Perth Museum is closed for its scheduled winter maintenance break from 1 January 2027 to 12 January 2027, reopening on the 13 January 2027.
The Pipe of Freedom by Thomas Stuart Smith (1813/14–1869). Credit The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum
Louis Black (1820–1866) by James Irvine (1822–1889). Credit ANGUSalive
Douglass was an influential American abolitionist, writer, philosopher and human rights campaigner who travelled widely across Scotland in the 19th century. Inspired by his life and legacy, Lessons of the Hour (2019) offers a powerful reflection on his struggle for freedom and equality.
In 1846, Douglass delivered four speeches to sold-out audiences in Perth’s former City Hall, on the site where Perth Museum now stands. Visitors will be able to stand in the very place where he once addressed Perth audiences, creating a direct connection between his story, Julien’s artwork and the Museum itself. Both the artwork and exhibition take their title from Douglass’s final speech, delivered in 1894.
The Lady of the Lake (Lessons of The Hour), 2019 © Isaac Julien
ARTIST ROOMS is a joint programme by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, bringing outstanding modern and contemporary art from the national collection to venues across the UK.
Issac Julien (2017) © Thierry Bal
Isaac Julien CBE, RA, (born 1960) is a distinguished installation artist, filmmaker and distinguished Professor at UC Santa Cruz. His multi-screen film installations and photographs incorporate different artistic disciplines to create a poetic and unique visual language. His notable documentary-drama, Looking for Langston (1989) garnered Julien a cult following, and his 1991 debut feature film Young Soul Rebels won the Semaine de la Critique prize at the Cannes Film Festival. His works have been presented shown in solo exhibitions and biennales internationally and his works are held in collections across the world. www.isaacjulien.com
Lessons of the Hour opens on 9 October 2026 and runs until 11 April 2027. Admission is free, and donations are welcome.
