The Skidmore College Tang Museum will open a new exhibition titled “500 Dams” on September 26, 2026. The show, staged in Saratonga Springs, New York, documents a two‑decade ecological repair effort carried out in Anaya Springs, New Mexico. Artists and ecologists who participated in the project have collaborated to present the work through the museum’s galleries.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the story of 500 small dams constructed over twenty years to restore water flow and habitat in the arid region. By tracing each phase of the initiative, the display illustrates how artistic practice and scientific inquiry were woven together to address a landscape in need of rehabilitation. Visitors will follow the progression from early planning and site assessment through the installation of the dams and the resulting ecological changes observed in the area.
Curatorial notes emphasize the role of creative vision in shaping environmental interventions. The museum’s partnership with the project’s ecologists underscores a growing trend of interdisciplinary collaboration, where visual art serves both as documentation and as a catalyst for public engagement with restoration work. While the exhibition does not include new field work, it assembles photographs, field notes, and interpretive panels that together convey the scale and ambition of the New Mexico effort.
“500 Dams” will run for several months, offering local audiences an opportunity to learn about a long‑term, place‑based solution to water scarcity and habitat loss. The Tang Museum hopes the exhibition will inspire further dialogue about how art can contribute to ecological stewardship and encourage similar initiatives elsewhere.
The opening event on September 26 will feature remarks from museum staff and members of the project team, followed by a guided tour of the exhibition space.