The Tang Museum at Skidmore College will open its new exhibition, "500 Dams," on September 26, 2026. The show chronicles twenty years of ecological repair work that relies on stone dams, positioning the installations as a bridge between artistic practice, environmental stewardship, and local community effort.
Located on the Skidmore campus in Saratoga Springs, the exhibition presents a series of works that document and interpret the construction and impact of stone dam projects across the region. By tracing the evolution of these structures over two decades, the display highlights how modest engineering interventions can reshape waterways, restore habitats, and foster collaborative stewardship among residents, artists, and environmental groups.
The museum frames the dams as both functional infrastructure and artistic medium. Each piece combines field photographs, scale models, and interpretive panels that illustrate the physical form of the dams alongside the ecological outcomes they generate. Viewers are invited to consider how the deliberate placement of stone in riverbeds can slow erosion, capture sediment, and create new riparian zones that support biodiversity.
Community involvement is a central theme of "500 Dams." The exhibition acknowledges the role of local volunteers, land trusts, and neighborhood associations who have helped design, build, and maintain the structures. By foregrounding these partnerships, the Tang Museum emphasizes that ecological restoration is not solely the domain of scientists or engineers but a shared civic endeavor.
The show also situates the stone dams within a broader artistic conversation about place-based practice. By presenting the dams as both ecological tools and aesthetic objects, the exhibition encourages audiences to rethink the boundaries between art and environmental action. The museum hopes the exhibition will inspire further dialogue and participation in community-led restoration projects.
"500 Dams" will remain on view at the Tang Museum through the end of the year, offering multiple opportunities for visitors to explore the intersection of art, ecology, and collaborative repair in Saratoga Springs.