FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 27, 2024
New York, New York – Art21 is proud to announce the release of a new film: “Hyeree Ro’s Precise Ambiguity,” premiering Wednesday, April 9 at 12:00 p.m. ET on Art21.org and YouTube. The second 2025 release of Art21’s digital film series, New York Close Up, “Hyeree Ro’s Precise Ambiguity” follows the artist through the conception, completion, and performance of Niro (2024), a work centered around her father’s recent passing and the road trips they took together. In this sculptural installation and series of performances, the artist draws on and abstracts her experiences of estrangement, loss, and memory, giving viewers space to explore their own relationships to this deeply personal work.
Through her installations, performances, and videos, the artist uses familiar objects to create complex, enigmatic, and emotionally resonant environments that capture our collective experience. Pursuing the “precisely ambiguous,” Ro takes everyday objects, like paper packing trays or a dining table, and removes them from their original context and function to call attention to both their formal qualities as well as the emotional weight they can hold.
“The world of image always felt like it was never enough for me,” says the artist. “What felt the most real, close to life, was performance involving the body. You feel the weight, you feel the texture, you hear the sound … with this tangible thing, you create intangible scenes.”
“I was inspired by how Hyeree’s performance involves minimal text but evokes powerful emotional responses, and tried to stay true to that aesthetic in the making of this film,” says Andrea Chung, director. “My hope is that the film gives viewers the experience of being on a road trip with Hyeree, where we share an intimate time and space together learning about her practice and story, but at the same time, allow our thoughts and feelings to run wild.”
Tune in to the digital premiere of “Hyeree Ro’s Precise Ambiguity” on Wednesday, April 9 at 12:00 p.m. ET at Art21.org and on Art21’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/art21org. To learn more, email Art21 Associate Director of Communications, Hannah DeGarmo, at [email protected].
New York Close Up (NYCU) is devoted to capturing early career artists living and working in New York City. NYCU films have been accepted and honored by over 100 film festivals worldwide, including Academy Awards-qualifying festivals like AmDocs Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, BlackStar, DOC NYC, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and Palm Springs ShortFest. NYCU films have also been honored with 2 Webby Award nominations and 9 Vimeo Staff Picks.
New York Close Up is made possible with support from Patricia Ryan and Andrew Farnsworth, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Every Page Foundation, 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.
Art21 is the world’s leading source to learn directly from the artists of our time. The mission of Art21 is to educate and expand access to contemporary art through the production of documentary films, resources, and public programs. The organization recently embarked on capacity-building efforts to grow its operations and services to bring more artists to more audiences worldwide. Art21 opens the world of art to everyone. Learn more at Art21.org.
