Department: Visual Art

Isaac Julien’s work deals with issues of identity, memory and fantasy. These images are from his film Long Road to Mazatlán which was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2001. In this work Julien focuses on the American West, specifically on the cowboy as a gay icon, to explore masculinity and desire. Julien is interested in breaking down barriers between different disciplines and has shown work in non-art gallery places, including in the cinema and on television. Long Road to Mazatlán references the work of Tennessee Williams, David Hockney, Martin Scorsese’s film Taxi Driver (1976) and Andy Warhol’s Lonesome Cowboys (1968).