Artist's Exhibit at National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago Calls for Climate Action

Ana Teresa Fernández's 'Under Pressure' uses art, mirrors, and community to raise awareness about environmental threats

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:20pm

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An abstract, highly structured painting in soft, earthy tones of green, blue, and brown, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and natural systems under threat from climate change.A powerful artistic interpretation of the environmental pressures facing the planet, as depicted in the 'Under Pressure' exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art.Chicago Today

Mexican-born artist Ana Teresa Fernández has created a powerful exhibit called 'Under Pressure' at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. The exhibit, which runs through August 2, uses a variety of mediums including oil paintings, sculptures, and a community-driven 'SOS' display on the lakefront to call attention to climate change and environmental threats facing the planet.

Why it matters

Fernández's exhibit aims to ignite change and inspire action around critical environmental issues. By using both the walls of the museum and the natural landscape of Chicago's lakefront, the artist is reaching a wide audience and tapping into the community's connection to natural resources like the Great Lakes.

The details

The exhibit features a range of artistic elements, from a massive white balloon meant to symbolize a globe or glacier, to detailed oil paintings, to a sculpted hose transformed into a Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent symbol. The constant theme throughout is water, which Fernández sees as the source of life. On April 11, Fernández led hundreds of people in a community 'SOS' display on Ohio Street Beach, using mirrors to spell out the distress signal and 'speak in light' to call for action to save the planet.

  • The 'Under Pressure' exhibit opened at the National Museum of Mexican Art in April 2026 and will run through August 2, 2026.
  • On April 11, 2026, Fernández led a community 'SOS' display on Chicago's lakefront.

The players

Ana Teresa Fernández

A Mexican-born, San Francisco-based artist whose 'Under Pressure' exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago is a call to climate action through various artistic mediums.

National Museum of Mexican Art

A museum in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood that is hosting Fernández's 'Under Pressure' exhibit, which aims to raise awareness about environmental threats.

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What they’re saying

“I'm asking the community to plead for the environment, save our souls, save our shorelines, save our species.”

— Ana Teresa Fernández, Artist

What’s next

The 'Under Pressure' exhibit will remain on display at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago through August 2, 2026, providing an opportunity for the community to engage with Fernández's powerful call to climate action.

The takeaway

Fernández's 'Under Pressure' exhibit demonstrates the power of art to inspire environmental awareness and activism. By using a range of mediums and engaging the local community, the artist is amplifying the urgent need to address climate change and protect the planet's natural resources.