Western Union Series No. 6 (Afterlife), 2007
duratran in lightbox
123 x 303 x 5 cm
Edition of 6 + 1 AP

This work forms part of Isaac Julien’s iconic Western Union Small Boat photographic and film series which traverses continents and cultures in a complex quest for the betterment of life. We delve into the rich visual language of Julien’s practice, a tapestry of visual connections through opposed worlds. The angle of the image is presented skywards, the eye drawn to a view of the heavens, the sumptuous grandeur of the ceiling of Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi, the famed Sicilian location for Luchino Visconti's masterpiece The Leopard (1963), creating a Baroque requiem of opulent splendour. With unfurling magnificence, a dazzling chandelier, winged cherubs, glittering gold cartouches are heightened by the use of a lightbox which backlights the sparkling scene: mirroring the use of light to evoke dramatic tensions in a Baroque interior. The theatre of the Baroque is perceived not only in the sensuous richness of this image, but in the dramatic contrasts of this whole series: the dual, entwining narratives that journey both into Italian cinema and the historic movement of people from Africa to Europe to reveal themes of human displacement, migration and desire for capital.

installation view; Isaac Julien Western Union Series No. 6 (Afterlife), 2007; duratran in lightbox; 123 x 303 x 5 cm; Edition of 6 + 1 AP; enquire
installation view
installation view; Isaac Julien Western Union Series No. 6 (Afterlife), 2007; duratran in lightbox; 123 x 303 x 5 cm; Edition of 6 + 1 AP; enquire
installation view