Verdigris Ensemble unites with the Dallas Contemporary for this co-commission, bringing a memorable collaboration inspired by the museum’s site-specific fall exhibition with visual artist Bianca Bondi.

Taking cues from Ladybird Johnson’s Highway Beautification Act, which aimed to protect native plants from billboards along stretches of Texas highway, Bondi presents a monumental artificial landscape representing the struggle between the natural and commercial world.

Using the exhibition as inspiration, Verdigris Ensemble is commissioning a group of women composers to weave together a narrative about Lady Bird Johnson’s efforts, comparing her actions to the resilient native flowers of Texas.

The production will feature innovative lighting and projections to mimic the experience of highway driving alongside archive audio of Ladybird’s speeches.