Contemporary Art

The BMA’s Contemporary Art collection captures the urgency and imagination of artists working from 1960 to the present. Spanning painting, sculpture, video, performance, sound, installation, and social practice, the collection reflects the expansive possibilities of art in our time.

Artists in this collection confront pressing questions about identity, history, environment, technology, and community. Many works blur boundaries between media and invite participation, reflection, or dialogue. The collection places artists connected to Baltimore in conversation with voices from around the globe, highlighting both local specificity and global exchange.

As it continues to grow, this collection centers artists historically overlooked and expands whose stories are told. These works demonstrate art’s power not only to reflect the world but to reshape it.