Isaac Julien's Cosmic House Exhibition: A Postmodern Parlour of Metamorphosis
In the heart of London, the Cosmic House stands as a testament to postmodernist vision, transformed since 1978 by theorist Charles Jencks and designer Maggie Keswick into a cosmic order within a Victorian townhouse. Here, a "solar stair" spirals through symbolic themes, and a kitchen reimagines classical Indian architecture. At its core, in a sun-worshipping basement, video artist Isaac Julien presents his latest work, All That Changes You. Metamorphosis, a film that is wildly excessive, unrepentantly intellectual, thoroughly kitsch, and, for those open to it, rather glorious.
A Science-Fiction Journey with Deities and Cyborgs
Displayed on a single screen amidst a kaleidoscope of mirrors, the film stars Sheila Atim and Gwendoline Christie as science-fiction deities. They meander through settings ranging from a Renaissance palazzo to a modernist glass home and the Cosmic House itself, engaging in conversations about the end of the world, time travel, and the nature of God. Their encounters include cyborg starfish and gleaming spaceships, with visuals of firestorms on the sun and bioluminescent sea creatures. This work is not for the pretension-averse, but for those willing to engage, it offers a profound exploration.
Script and Themes: From Octavia E. Butler to Universal Connection
The film's script is a collage of texts, prominently featuring Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower, set in a dystopian near-future. It articulates the idea that God is change, echoing the principle that everything flows. This theme of universal connection, while esoteric-sounding, is presented as both obvious and revelatory, drifting between platitude and insight with references from Ovid to ecofeminist philosophy. In the domestic setting of the Cosmic House, the film feels more congruent and revolutionary than in its previous immersive installation at Victoria Miro gallery.
Identity and Solidarity in a Divided Age
Julien, known for films charged with Black queer desire, here creates a manifesto against fixed identity, emphasizing that no identity is static. The film's goddesses metamorphose into forms like horses and drones, crossing boundaries between people, species, and intelligence. This promotes a solidarity based on embracing difference through imaginative empathy, as highlighted by a quote from Butler's novel about love arising from differences. The work speaks directly to contemporary issues, urging against building walls and instead learning to "stay with the trouble," as philosopher Donna Haraway suggests.
Conclusion: A Call for Common Ground
All That Changes You. Metamorphosis is a complicated yet commendably ambitious art piece. It delivers a simple lesson: we cannot turn back time, change is inevitable, and we are all interconnected. By celebrating diversity and urging new relationships, Julien's film offers a timely message for an age fixated on division. It runs at the Cosmic House in London until 18 December, inviting viewers to reflect on metamorphosis and human connection in a rapidly evolving world.
