About Umbilical City
Umbilical City is an interdisciplinary art project combining participatory community walks and a series of drawings to explore urban ecology and local ecosystems in New York City, with a focus on Long Island City, Queens. Through ecological talks and guided walks, the initiative connects residents to nature, and climate resilience.
Umbilical City Community Walks
Presented in partnership with Hunters Point Parks Conservancy. Join interdisciplinary visual artist January Yoon Cho and Jessica Sechrist, Executive Director of the HPPC, for an interactive public walk exploring local wildlife, estuarine ecosystems, and environmental connection at Gantry Plaza State Park. Holding a single connecting string as a symbol of our link to nature, participants will walk together following brief introductory talks on artist methodology and urban ecology. RSVP recommended.
- RSVP Walk 1: Animals and Food Chain of Gantry Park – Sunday, Nov 1, 2026 | 3 – 4 pm
- RSVP Walk 2: Waters and Wetlands – Saturday, Nov 7, 2026 | 3 – 4 pm
- Meeting Point: The Oval (near Borden Ave. & Center Blvd.), Gantry Plaza State Park, Long Island City, Queens
- Admission: Free & open to the public (All ages welcome)
Umbilical Walk Drawing Series
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- Umbilical City Series – Native Birds
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- Umbilical City Series – Allergens
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- Umbilical City Series – Allergens in New York City
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- Umbilical City Series – Barbed Wire and Nature
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- Umbilical City Series – Native Aquatic Birds
About the Artist & Sponsorship
January Yoon Cho is an interdisciplinary visual artist based in Long Island City, Queens, exploring environmental consciousness and living systems through digital drawings, performance, photography, video, and installations.
The Walk: Umbilical City is awarded a NYSCA FY 2026 Support for Artists Grant. The Walk Project is a fiscally sponsored project of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), a 501(c)(3) organization, presented in partnership with Hunters Point Parks Conservancy.
