Description
This documentary short follows the artist’s unique creative trajectory from childhood experiences gardening with their grandmother and collecting stuffed toys to exhibiting immersive botanical installations and stuffed bear sculptures at celebrated arts institutions.
Precious Okoyomon was born in 1993 in London and lives and works in New York City. Learn more about the artist at https://art21.org/artist/precious-okoyomon/.
Explore other Art21 films in the "New York Close Up" series at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL70298B8E028D372C
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CREDITS
Director & Producer: Haimy Assefa
Executive Producer: Tina Kukielski
Series Producer: Nick Ravich
Editor: Katia Vannoy
Cinematography: Rodrigo Valencia & Haimy Assefa
Additional Cinematography: Sean Hanley & César Luiz Leite
Assistant Camera: Rafael Alvarado & Bruna Lucheze Freire
Associate Producer: Andrea Chung
Associate Curator: Jurrell Lewis
Design & Graphics: Chips, Leah Nichols
Colorist: Fabiana Javitt
Sound Design & Mix: Katia Vannoy
Assistant Editor: Stephanie Cen
Artwork & Archival Media Courtesy: Precious Okoyomon
Thanks: Brock Bierly, Collin Blendell, Lenna Christakis, Ryn Doherty, Gladstone Gallery, Gravity, Rachael Griswold, New Museum of Contemporary Art, Mendes Wood DM, Paris, São Paulo Art Biennial, The Whitney Museum of American Art
© 2026 Art21, Inc. All rights reserved.
"New York Close Up" is made possible with support from Deborah Beckmann and Jacob Kotzubei, Jessica and Natan Bibliowicz, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Henry Nias Foundation, and individual contributors.
0:00-03:27 Influences: poetry + stuffed animals
03:28-06:44 Migration, gardens + Bienal de São Paulo 2025 installation
06:45-08:07 Inside Precious' Brooklyn studio
08:08-09:44 Whitney Biennial 2026 installation + outro