Jem Cohen

Why this artist matters now

Jem Cohen is an American filmmaker working in 16mm film, video, and photography who constructs extended durational works from observation of urban spaces, architectural detail, and overlooked moments of everyday life. His practice merges documentary impulse with formal experimentation, employing handheld camera work, natural light, and deliberate pacing to create meditative engagements with place and time. Cohen's films resist narrative closure in favor of sustained attention to the texture of ordinary experience.

Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 1mo ago