Conceived in honor of the 500th anniversary of Palazzo Te in Italy, this work draws its power not only from its visual splendor but also from the profound thinkers who nourish it. Julien brings together theories of transformation articulated by Octavia Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Donna Haraway.
In particular, Donna Haraway’s thesis from Staying with the Trouble forms the spirit of the exhibition. Haraway urges us not to flee uncertainty but to learn to live with it, to coexist with other species without domination. For Julien, metamorphosis is not an escape; it is a mode of survival and dreaming acquired in a world that is always in flow.
Two Women, Two Times: Lilith and Naomi
At the center of this five-screen installation stand two legendary figures, embodied by two towering actors: Sheila Atim and Gwendoline Christie.
- Lilith (Sheila Atim): A mythological figure inspired by Octavia Butler’s heroines. She is the voice of a post-human future. She carries transformation itself within her body.
- Naomi (Gwendoline Christie): A character distilled from Naomi Mitchison’s science-fiction worlds, more firmly anchored in the “human present.” Her strength lies in her empathy, her listening, and her effort to forge connections across differences.
While Lilith speaks from the future, Naomi reminds us of the fragility of today with the words, “We are not in control of anything; everything is in flux.” The tense yet loving dialogue between them forms the emotional core of the exhibition.
Living Spaces: From the Renaissance to the Future
The film does not merely move us between characters; it also takes us through an architectural time tunnel. Julien treats spaces not as mere backdrops but as living organisms that interact with the characters:
- Palazzo Te (Mantua): The frescoes by Renaissance master Giulio Romano depicting the fall of the Titans become the stage for a cosmic rebirth.
- The Cosmic House (London): We pass through Charles Jencks’s postmodern world.
- The Spaceship of the Future: Herzog & de Meuron’s glass pavilion in Napa Valley becomes one of the stops on Lilith and Naomi’s journey.
Five Screens and a Mirrored Universe
Victoria Miro’s gallery has been transformed into a labyrinth covered in mirrors especially for this exhibition. Images reflected from five different screens multiply in the mirrors, bleed into one another, and disrupt the linear flow of time. As you move through the gallery, you find yourself becoming part of the film, a layer of the metamorphosis.
Scenes melt, dialogues turn into poetry, and the sound installation envelops you. Julien questions humanity’s unshakable throne at the center of the universe and invites us into a new time measured by the rhythms of earth, air, and fire.
“Whether you are a human, an insect, a microbe, or a stone: you change everything you touch, and everything you change changes you.” — Octavia Butler
Venue: Victoria Miro (London Gallery I), 16 Wharf Road.
Dates: 13 February – 21 March 2026.
Why You Should Go: At the peak of his 40-year career, Isaac Julien offers us not merely a future to look at, but one to inhabit.
