Xiaojing Yan - Lingzhi Girl #4
Xiaojing Yan
Lingzhi Girl #4
2017

2026 ART + ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT: UNDER PRESSURE
APRIL 16+17+18

2026 ART + ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT: UNDER PRESSURE

Can't we give ourselves one more chance? Why can't we give love that one more chance? This is our last dance. This is ourselves. Under pressure.

— As sung by David Bowie and Freddie Mercury

How do we consider the future of life on this planet in a present that appears increasingly unstable and fleeting? How do we move into a time horizon that sustains all life forms, is regenerative, and protects future generations? The pressure of our current moment seems ubiquitous: pressure on the environment, pressure on life forms of all kinds, pressure on nations and cultures, pressure on infrastructure and economies, pressure on space and time.

Highlighting commissioned proposals generated by artists, designers, writers, and visionaries of all kinds, the Summit will explore many interrelated spheres of interest: the vitality of animal and arboreal life; the preservation of natural ecologies; the impacts of the Anthropocene; eco-feminist legacies, and honoring the Indigenous wisdoms that have, for millennia, protected and sustained the planet.

During our three-day spring gathering in Reno, Nevada we will envision sustainable and resilient horizons together. An abundance of life-sustaining options is within reach. We can imagine and implement them together.

Gloria Tamerre Petyarre - Leaves
Gloria Tamerre Petyarre
Leaves
2002
PRESENTERS

  • Kai Anderson
  • Makeda Best
  • Andrea Bowers
  • Johanna Burton
  • Carolina Caycedo
  • Brittany Nicole Cox
  • Sudeep Chandra
  • Apsara DiQuinzio
  • Ginger Dunnill
  • Herman Fillmore
  • William L. Fox
  • LaToya Ruby Frazier
  • Jeffrey Gibson
  • Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijner
  • Jonathon Keats
  • Dr. Bernie Krause
  • Land Art Generator Initiative(LAGI)
  • Rebecca Lendl
  • Margaret Levi
  • Judith Lowry
  • Cannupa Hanska Luger
  • Jack Malotte
  • Haley Mellin
  • Stacey Montooth
  • Maia Nuku
  • Madison Olandt
  • Laura Ortman
  • Katie Paterson
  • Eric-Paul Riege
  • Colin M. Robertson
  • Kim Stanley Robinson
  • Rose B. Simpson
  • Delaine Spilsbury
  • Clarissa Tossin
  • Oscar Tuazon
  • David B. Walker
  • Ann M. Wolfe
  • Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun
Laura Ortman
Laura Ortman
Centuries of the Bristlecone
Jonathon Keats, Phil Abernethy, Brittany Cox
Centuries of the Bristlecone
2025
Rebecca Belmore - ishkode (fire)
Rebecca Belmore
ishkode (fire)
2021
Didier William - Siklon 2
Didier William
Siklon 2
2021

Thursday, April 16

10 am to 5 pm
Check-In
Share a story of place or environmental change for a StoryCorps-style podcast recording hosted by Fil Corbitt, creator of The Wind. Explore the galleries.
5 to 6 pm
Centuries of the Bristlecone
Wayne L. Prim Theater
Jonathan Keats and Brittany Cox, along with Rebecca Lendl of the Long Now Foundation, explore Centuries of the Bristlecone and how art inspires reflection on deep time. Moderated by William L. Fox.
6 to 9 pm
Welcome Reception
Nightingale Sky Room
Gather for opening remarks, meet the artists, explore the galleries and enjoy music by the Waší·šiw Singers and DJ Miss Ginger. Eric-Paul Riege (Diné) also performs in the galleries.

Friday, April 17

9 to 10 am
Welcome Breakfast
Mario J. Gabelli Grand Atrium Commons
Coffee and tea service
10:00 am
Madison Olandt: "Under Pressure"
Commissioned by the Museum, Madison Olandt's evocative choreography and original dance performance to the classic David Bowie and Queen song “Under Pressure” welcomes the audience back to the Summit, embodying the creative tension of the current environmental and cultural moment.
10:10 am
David B. Walker: Art + Environment Summit Welcome
10:25 am
Herman Fillmore: Waší·šiw Tribal Welcome and Introduction
Waší·šiw cultural leader and language preservationist Herman Fillmore and Tribal members open the Summit with an introduction grounded in Waší·šiw knowledge, centering the wisdom of place and the responsibility of environmental stewardship.
10:45 am
Apsara DiQuinzio: Introduction to Into the Time Horizon
11:10 am
Kim Stanley Robinson: Proposal for the Future
Through visionary narratives that blend science and imagination, Kim Stanley Robinson invites guests to grapple with the realities of climate change while envisioning sustainable, equitable futures of environmental stewardship. Introduced by William L. Fox.
12 to 1:45 pm
Lunch
12:15 pm
Brown Bag Lunch: Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability with Sudeep Chandra
Charles N. Mathewson | IGT Founders' Room
Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
1:45 pm
Katie Paterson: To Burn, Forest, Fire
In To Burn, Forest, Fire Katie Paterson invites guests to reflect on fragility, deep history, and the interconnectedness of global forests, inspiring a sense of wonder, care, and responsibility for Earth's ecosystems.
2:30 pm
Land and Water Protectors
Leaders from policy, art, and Indigenous communities discuss how creativity and Indigenous knowledge can fuel urgent environmental action. Colin M. Robertson moderates a conversation with Kai Anderson, Haley Mellin, Stacey Montooth (Walker River Paiute), Delaine Spilsbury (Western Shoshone), and Oscar Tuazon.
3:35 pm
Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI): Proposal for the Future
Learn how the Land Art Generator Initiative creates innovative projects that merge renewable energy, public art, and design to inspire sustainable solutions for the built environment.
4:10 pm
Ecofeminist Legacies and Futures
Moderator Johanna Burton leads artists Carolina Caycedo, Clarissa Tossin, and Andrea Bowers in exploring ecofeminism's legacies and futures through art, ecology, and social justice.
5:30 to 7:30 pm
Members' Premiere
Members join fellow guests, artists, and presenters on the rooftop for cocktails and light hors d'oeuvres

Saturday, April 18

10:00 am
Laura Ortman: Performance
Musician, composer, and visual artist Laura Ortman (White Mountain Apache) performs a set on her violin that weaves together tradition, innovation, and deep connection to place.
10:25 am
Indigenous Art Futures
Moderator Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Choctaw/Cherokee) guides a discussion among Indigenous artists Judith Lowry (Mountain Maidu/Pit River/Washoe), Jack Malotte (Western Shoshone/Washoe), and Lawrence Paul Yukwelupton (Tsartlip/Syilx First Nations) about imagining Indigenous futures through art, culture, and resilience. Introduced by Ann M. Wolfe.
11:30 am
Cannupa Hanska Luger: Proposal for the Future
Cannupa Hanska Luger (Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara/Lakota) presents his poem that powerfully intertwines ideas about Indigenous identity with environmental stewardship, sustainability, and self-determination.
12:00 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm
Madison Olandt: “Once Upon a Time in the West”
Commissioned by the Museum, Madison Olandt's evocative choreography and original dance performance to the song “Once Upon a Time in the West” embodies the tension and possibility at the intersection of art, environment, and human imagination.
1:40 pm
Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner: Anointed
Poet and climate activist Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner shares work that channels urgent climate realities in the Marshall Islands and the power of language to inspire action.
2:15 pm
Maia Nuku: A Protocol for Living
Curator Maia Nuku highlights Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists whose work imparts vital Indigenous wisdom and supports sustainable futures for the land, seas, and communities that depend on them.
2:45 pm
LaToya Ruby Frazier and Makeda Best: Flint is Family
Artist LaToya Ruby Frazier and curator Makeda Best explore the intersection between environmental justice and social justice through the lens of art, amplifying the voices and struggles of underrepresented communities.
3:30 pm
Rose B. Simpson: Proposal for the Future
Artist Rose B. Simpson explores how Indigenous creativity can envision and inspire sustainable environmental futures.
4:05 pm
Dr. Bernie Krause: Acoustic Ecologies
Acoustic ecologist Bernie Krause reveals the hidden symphonies of nature, showing how soundscapes illuminate the health and fragility of our environment.
5:00 pm
Margaret Levi: Synthesis
Margaret Levi, professor emeritus of political science at Stanford University, will offer concluding remarks. Levi is known for her work in comparative political economy, labor politics, and democratic theory—in addition to being an avid Australian Aboriginal art enthusiast.
5:30 to 7:30 pm
Wrap Party
Nightingale Sky Room
The Summit closes with a celebration for all speakers, sponsors, and guests. Artists Madison Olandt, Eric-Paul Riege, and Laura Ortman offer additional performances. Music by DJ Miss Ginger. Drinks and light hors d'oeuvres
Ernesto Neto - Children of the Earth
Ernesto Neto
Children of the Earth
2019
Zig Jackson
Zig Jackson
Indian Man at Kennecott Copper Mines, Tooele, Utah
2004/printed 2020
REGISTRATION
Early Bird Registration and Members of Nevada Museum of Art
Through January 25, 2026
$500
General Registration
January 26 through April 16, 2026
$600
Registration includes a copy of Into the Time Horizon and hosted food/beverage served during the three-day program.

Register

Cancellations/Refunds
Cancellation requests received before February 6, 2026 will receive a full refund. Cancellation requests received between February 7 and March 20, 2026 will receive a 50% refund. Cancellation requests received March 21, 2026 or later are not eligible for refund.
Accommodations
Downtown Reno
South Reno
Rates vary depending on weekday/weekend bookings and type of room.
Into the Time Horizon
Into the Time Horizon
The catalog for Into the Time Horizon presents the artwork of nearly 200 visual artists who make environmentally conscious artwork. The book features essays by Makeda Best, Apsara DiQuinzio, William L. Fox, N. Scott Momaday, and Maia Nuku, as well as discussions with artists and art professionals focused on sustainability and climate justice. An additional booklet presents “Proposals for the Future,” on how to build sustainable futures from leading artists and intellectuals such as Kim Stanley Robinson, Rose B. Simpson, and Maya Lin. Published by Radius Books. $70 / $63 Members
Jeffrey Gibson - The Land is Speaking Are You Listening
Jeffrey Gibson
The Land is Speaking Are You Listening
2022
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Nevada Museum of Art acknowledges the traditional homelands of the Waší·šiw (Washoe), Numu (Northern Paiute), Newe (Western Shoshone), and Nuwu (Southern Paiute) people of the Great Basin. This includes the 28 Tribal Nations that exist as sovereign nations and continue as stewards of this land. We appreciate the opportunity to live and learn on these Indigenous homelands.
SUSTAINABILITY
To offset the emissions of the 2026 Art + Environment Summit, a portion of each registration will be donated to the Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability. Learn more at unr.edu/tahoe-institute.
Into the Time Horizon, the 2026 Art + Environment Summit and their accompanying publications were conceived with sustainability as an imperative and a challenge for what is possible. Inks used are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and 100% vegetable based. The paper is recycled and FSC certified.
IMAGE CREDITS
TOP TO BOTTOM: Xiaojing Yan, Lingzhi Girl #4, 2017. Cultivated lingzhi mushrooms, mycelium and wood chips, 18 x 17 x 16 inches (45.7 x 43.2 x 40.6 cm). Nevada Museum of Art, purchased with funds from the Collections Committee Acquisition Fund. Gloria Tamerre Petyarre, Leaves, 2002. Synethic polymer paint on canvas, 70 7/8 x 157 ½ in. (180 x 400 cm). Seattle Museum of Art, gift of Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan, in honor of Virginia and Bagley Wright, and in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum. © Copyright Agency. Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, 2025. Image courtesy Seattle Art Museum. Photograph courtesy of Laura Ortman. Dress by EMME Studio. Photo by Denis Gutierrez- Ogrinc. Jonathon Keats in collaboration with Phil Abernethy and Brittany Cox, Centuries of the Bristlecone, 2025, Photo by Asa Gilmore. Rebecca Belmore, ishkode (fire), 2021. Ceramic, bullet casings, and copper wire, 66 ½ x 108 ¼ x 127 7/8 in. (168.9 x 275 x 324.8 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchased jointly by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, with funds from the Painting and Sculpture Committee, the Wilfred P. and Rose J. Cohen Purchase Fund, the John I. H. Baur Purchase Fund, and the Tom Armstrong Purchase Fund; and the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa 2024. 297 a-d. © Rebecca Belmore. Installation view of Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It's Kept (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, April 6-September 5, 2 022). Digital image © Whitney Museum of American Art / Licensed by Scala/ Art Resource, NY, Didier William, Siklon 2, 2021. Acrylic, ink, and wood carving on panel, 68 x 104 in. (172.7 x 264.2 cm). Courtesy of the artist and Altman Siegel, San Francisco. Ernesto Neto, Children of the Earth, 2019. Cotton voile crochet, cotton fabric, cotton voile curtain, futon, ceramic, polyamide stockings, crystal, onyx, red jasper, honey calcite, amethyst, sodalite, green quartz, orange calcite, lavender, fennel, basil, bay leaves, cloves, ginger, turmeric, maracas, drums, Tibetan singing bowl, seed pods, 10 cotton fabric outfits, leaves, terra cotta pots, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York. Photo: Flying Studio. Zig Jackson, Indian Man at Kennecott Copper Mines, Tooele, Utah, 2004/printed 2020. 19 x 19 in. (48.3 x 48.3 cm). Nevada Museum of Art, the Altered Landscape, Carol Franc Buck Collection. © 2025 Zig Jackson / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Jeffrey Gibson, The Land is Speaking Are You Listening, 2022. Mural, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist and Sikkema Malloy Jenkins. © Jeffrey Gibson.