A new work performed and created by imani&jakob for The Round Barn Dance Series Conceived and Curated by Richard Colton

A surreal, site-responsive performance exploring rebellion, ecology, and urban decay.

In this new work, NYC-based art duo imani & jakob (imani,a dancer from New Orleans, and jakob, a visual artist from the Bronx) imagine a world where cows reclaim the city—not as livestock, but as agents of revolt. Inspired by graffiti artist Skeme’s phrase “all you see is crime in the city,” the duo subverts that line to ask what it means when nature fights back.

Through dance, painting, and sound, all you see is cows in the city becomes a metaphor for systemic collapse and ecological grief. It examines humanity’s relationship to the land, to animals, and to one another—particularly how habitants of nature and underserved communities alike are the first and most deeply impacted by environmental degradation as a result of urban development.

Set in the Round Barn at Churchtown Dairy, the performance becomes an act of reclamation: of space, of breath, of balance. What does it mean to see cows in the city? Maybe it’s a warning. Maybe it’s a dream. Maybe it’s already happening.

This 45 minute performance including an artist talkback took place on September 13, 2025 at 3pm, and was presented free of charge with pay as you wish suggested donations.