Isaac Julien's 'All That Changes You. Metamorphosis' Immersive Installation Premieres at Victoria Miro, London
On 13 February 2025, Isaac Julien's five-screen installation titled 'All That Changes You. Metamorphosis' debuted at Victoria Miro in London, where it will be displayed until 21 March. This work first premiered at Palazzo Te in Mantua, Italy, in celebration of the palace's 500th anniversary. The installation delves into themes of identity, survival, and posthuman existence, drawing on science fiction and ecological perspectives. It showcases two main characters, Lilith (Sheila Atim) and Naomi (Gwendoline Christie), who represent differing approaches to transformation. Influential readings from Donna Haraway and concepts from Anna Tsing and Carlo Rovelli are integrated. Architectural backdrops feature Palazzo Te and Herzog & de Meuron's Napa Valley pavilion, highlighting relational ethics and transformation as a means of connection. Large-format inkjet prints produced in 2025 are also included.
Key facts
- Isaac Julien's 'All That Changes You. Metamorphosis' is a five-screen immersive installation with accompanying photographic works.
- The installation premiered in 2025 at Palazzo Te in Mantua, Italy, celebrating the palace's 500th anniversary.
- It is on view at Victoria Miro, London from 13 February to 21 March 2025.
- Sheila Atim plays Lilith and Gwendoline Christie plays Naomi, the two central characters exploring posthuman and human perspectives.
- Donna Haraway's reading from 'Staying with the Trouble' (2016) opens the work, introducing the concept of 'becoming-with'.
- Architectural settings include Palazzo Te's Room of the Giants by Giulio Romano, Charles Jencks's Cosmic House, and Herzog & de Meuron's Napa Valley pavilion.
- The work engages with ideas from Anna Tsing on ecological resilience and Carlo Rovelli on relational time.
- Julien's practice spans over four decades, with key works like 'Looking for Langston' (1989) and 'Ten Thousand Waves' (2010).
Entities
Artists
- Isaac Julien
- Sheila Atim
- Gwendoline Christie
- Donna Haraway
- Anna Tsing
- Carlo Rovelli
- Hito Steyerl
- Camille Henrot
- Trevor Paglen
- Octavia Butler
- Naomi Mitchison
- Giulio Romano
- Charles Jencks
- Richard Found
- Shirley Stevenson
Institutions
- Victoria Miro
- Palazzo Te
- Herzog & de Meuron
- Aesthetica Magazine
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Mantua
- Italy
- Napa Valley
- United States
- Cotswolds