Seneca Village Photo Walk
Join us for a guided walk through Seneca Village, where participants will explore the landscape of this historic site through the creative lens of photography.
Thank you for joining us on Thursday, May 30, 2026, for a guided photo walk through Seneca Village, led by photographer Donavon Smallwood and the Central Park Conservancy’s Seneca Village Program Coordinator, Cameron Lee. During the walk, photographers of all levels learned about the rich history of Seneca Village, a predominantly Black, 19th-century community that existed along what is now the Park’s perimeter from West 82nd to 89th Streets. Through their lenses, photographers were able to capture and interpret the Park as a source of creative inspiration.
Photo Walk participants: We’d love to share your work! Please reach out to [email protected] if you’re interested in contributing your Photo Walk pictures to the Seneca Village permanent commemoration project.
Donavon Smallwood
Donavon Smallwood is a graduate of Hunter College. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently at Pier 24 Photography and Marshall Gallery. His photographs are included in a handful of public and private collections, including the J. Paul Getty Museum. He is the recipient of numerous awards, notably the 2021 Aperture Portfolio Prize. Periodical features and editorial clients include The Atlantic, The New York Times, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and The Guardian. Languor, his first monograph, was released by Trespasser in 2021.
Visit Smallwood’s website to learn more about Languor, his “ode to Central Park.”
This event is part of Seneca Village: Toward a Permanent Commemoration, an ongoing program series funded by the Mellon Foundation. The program series will culminate in a community-informed framework guiding the future design of a permanent commemoration of Seneca Village in Central Park.
COMMUNITY EVENTS BY THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY
Central Park Conservancy community events reflect the spirit of the Park itself: fun, free, and open to all. Join us all year for family-friendly programs across Central Park—featuring music, movement, art, film, and more—creating a culture of connection in the Park we all love.