The Ever-Growing Worlds of Precious Okoyomon
Hear the poet and artist discuss their craft that defies traditional artistic categories
At the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, Nigerian-American poet and interdisciplinary artist Precious Okoyomon joins Hans Ulrich Obrist—Artistic Director of The Serpentine—for a wide-ranging conversation that traverses poetry, philosophy, and the alchemy of creation. As part of the Artist Talks series, co-presented by UBS and Fondation Beyeler, this exchange offers a portal into Okoyomon’s creative journey and richly layered universe.
Born in London and raised in the United States, Okoyomon eventually rooted their practice in New York City. Their formative years in rural landscapes deeply inform their sensibility yet it was their move to an urban environment that catalyzed a vital shift in their creative language.
With a practice that resists borders and embraces metamorphosis, Okoyomon invites us into lush, destabilizing worlds—where poetry grows wild, and every encounter is a seed of possibility. As Obrist reflects, their work is “a miracle and a risk”—a bold, generous leap into the yet-to-come.
Artist Talks is a programme organised by the Fondation Beyeler and UBS in which internationally renowned contemporary artists speak about their work. The talks have an open, dynamic format and range from traditional artist talks to moderated conversations between artists and prominent figures from the art world. The Artist Talks are held at the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen/Basel and at other art institutions in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the USA.