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Exhibitions

Currently On View

In an effort to keep our community, staff, and volunteers safe, the BMA's galleries are currently closed. Please see our page on COVID-19 for the most up-to-date information.

About

Focus on Female Creativity

2020 Vision is the Baltimore Museum of Art's year of exhibitions and programs dedicated to the achievements of female-identifying artists. The initiative encompasses 23 group and solo exhibitions. Highlights include Mickalene Thomas: A Moment's Pleasure, a major monographic survey of abstract expressionist artist Joan Mitchell, and the reinstallation of several of the museum’s galleries to emphasize the depth and diversity of women’s artistry through time.

These presentations will be supported by a wide range of public and scholarly programs that will foster dialogue on women’s contributions to art history and the development of many of the artistic institutions that we know today. The museum has also committed to exclusively purchasing works by female-identifying artists during 2020 and will explore objects across genre, style, and medium in every collecting area.

2020 Vision is part of the BMA’s mission to address race and gender diversity gaps within the museum field, and to represent more fully and deeply the spectrum of individuals that have shaped the trajectory of art.

The initiative also builds on the museum’s efforts over the last several years to expand its presentations of female-identifying artists and artists of color to more accurately reflect the community in which it lives. The acquisition strategy serves to further acknowledge that women have yet to attain equal representation at major museums and is a step toward rebalancing the scales within the BMA’s collection to better reflect women’s contributions to art history and contemporary practice.

Support 2020 Vision

Our Sponsors

The 2020 Vision installation of the Contemporary Wing is generously sponsored by BGE, Constellation and Exelon.

2020 Vision is generously sponsored by the Ms. Foundation for Women and PNC Foundation.

Our Acquisitions

Acquiring More Art by Women

In purchasing only works of art by female-identifying artists in 2020, the BMA is confronting deficits in our collecting practices historically that in turn represent extraordinary opportunities for growth in the future. We are planning to spend more than $2.5 million toward this effort. Below are purchases through June 2020. We've also listed the gifts of art the museum has acquired through June 2020 after the purchases in an effort to be fully transparent about all of the work the museum is acquiring this year.

Purchases

Mariette Pathy Allen (American, born 1940)
Untitled from "The Body Series"
1983
Selenium toned gelatin silver print
Edition: 1/3
406.4 × 508 mm. (16 × 20 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund

Designer: Barbara Brown (British, born 1932)
Manufacturer: Heal's (British, founded 1810)
Frequency
1969
Printed cotton
98 × 62 in. (248.9 × 157.5 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Textile Acquisition Fund

Vivian Browne (American, 1929-1993)
Printer: Robert Blackburn (American, 1920-2003)
Obeji
1973
Etching
Edition: 19/35
584.2 × 482.6 mm. (23 × 19 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Women's Committee Acquisitions Endowment for Contemporary Prints and Photographs

view of the work

Barbara Chase-Riboud (American, born 1939)
Malcolm X #15
2017
Bronze with black patina, silk, wool, polished cotton, and synthetic fibers with steel support
99 1/2 × 36 1/2 × 30 in. (252.7 × 92.7 × 76.2 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

detail of work

Oletha DeVane (American, born 1950)
Saint for My City 2007-2010
Glass, wood, bullet casings, encaustic, plastic, fabric, mirror, acrylic
paint, metal, and porcelain
86 7/8 × 12 7/8 × 13 in. (220.7 × 32.7 × 33 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Pictured: Detail

Delphine Diallo (French-Senegalese, born 1977)
Afropunk - Pink Fur
2016
Archival pigment print
Edition: 3/8
Framed: 30 7/8 × 20 7/8 in. (78.4 × 53 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund

image of the work

Barbara Regina Dietzsch (German, 1706-1783)
Narcissus
c. 1760
Gouache, watercolor and gold border on vellum
292.1 × 209.55 mm. (11 1/2 × 8 1/4 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The John Dorsey and Robert W. Armacost Acquisitions Endowment

Barbara Regina Dietzsch (German, 1706-1783)
Blue Morning Glory c. 1760
Gouache, watercolor and gold border on vellum
292.1 × 209.55 mm. (11 1/2 × 8 1/4 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The John Dorsey and Robert W. Armacost Acquisitions Endowment

Nathalie Djurberg (Swedish, born 1978) and Hans Berg (Swedish, born 1978)
One Need Not be a House, The Brain Has Corridors
2018
Stop motion animation (color, sound)
Edition: 1/5, 2APs
Duration: 8 minutes, 18 seconds
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Designer: Nathalie Du Pasquier (French, born 1957)
Design Group: Memphis (Milan, 1981-1988)
Gabon
1982
Printed cotton
79 × 60 in. (200.7 × 152.4 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Textile Acquisition Fund

image of the work of art

Janiva Ellis (American, born 1987)
Shudder Home Refuge
2019
Oil on linen
80 × 98 in. (203.2 × 248.9 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Designer: Greta Grossman (American, born Sweden, 1906-1999)
Manufacturer: Ralph O. Smith Company (American, active c. 1949-1954)
Three-armed Table Lamp
1948-1949
Brass, spun aluminum
27 × 27 × 22 in. (68.6 × 68.6 × 55.9 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Albert H. Cousins Memorial Fund

Bessie Harvey (American, 1929-1994)
Seven Faces of Eve
1987
Found wood, jewelry, cowrie shells, paint, spray paint
33 3/4 × 13 × 18 in. (85.7 × 33 × 45.7 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Suzanne Jackson (American, born 1944)
Night Birds - Singing Nest
2019
Acrylic, layered acrylic, acrylic detritus, and PVC tube
96 × 45 × 4 in. (243.8 × 114.3 × 10.2 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Designer: Virginia Olga Lee (American, 1924-2014)
Manufacturer: L. Anton Maix Fabrics (American, founded c.1949)
Fabric Sample: Elements
c. 1953
Screen-printed linen
34 1/4 × 51 in. (87 × 129.5 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Textile Acquisition Fund

Lucy Mingo (American, born 1931)
Quilt: Chestnut Bud
1960s
Cotton and cotton/polyester blend
96 × 96 in. (243.8 × 243.8 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

view of work

Mary Lovelace O'Neal (American, born 1942)
Forbidden Fruit
From the "Lost in the Medina" series
c. 1990
Mixed media on canvas
81 × 138 in. (205.7 × 350.5 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Laura Ortman (American, born 1973)
My Soul Remainer
2017
High-definition video (color, sound)
Duration: 5 minutes, 44 seconds
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Loretta Pettway (American, born 1942)
Quilt: Untitled
c. 1960
Cotton twill and synthetic material (men's clothing)
78 × 73 in. (198.1 × 185.4 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Lucy T. Pettway (American, 1921-2004)
Quilt: Housetop
c. 1970
Cotton and cotton blend
80 × 76 in. (203.2 × 193 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Pearlie Irby Pettway (American, 1898-1955)
Quilt: Diamond in Square
c. 1950
Cotton, polyester, wool, corduroy
82 × 66 in. (208.3 × 167.6 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Wendy Red Star (Native American, born 1981)
1880 Crow Peace Delegation
2014
10 archival pigment prints on paper
Sheet (each): 660.4 × 468.63 mm. (26 × 18 7/16 in.)
Image (each): 609.6 × 417.83 mm. (24 × 16 7/16 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Designer: Zandra Rhodes (British, born 1940)
Manufacturer: Heal's (British, founded 1810)
Top Brass
1964
Screen-printed cotton
69 × 50 in. (175.3 × 127 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Textile Acquisition Fund

Nellie Mae Rowe (American, 1900-1982
Woman Flying a Butterfly Kite
1981
Felt-tip pen, crayon, pastel, ballpoint pen, pencil, on paper
18 × 23 1/2 in. (45.7 × 59.7 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Mary T. Smith (American, 1905-1995)
Here I am 12345
1985
Paint and chrome on tin
49 × 27 in. (124.5 × 68.6 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Mary T. Smith (American, 1905-1995)
Untitled
1987
Paint and marker on wood
27 3/4 × 21 3/4 in. (70.5 × 55.2 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Shinique Smith (American, born 1971)
Drawing for Generations II
2019
Ink and watercolor on paper
12 × 9 in. (30.5 × 22.9 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Martine Syms (American, born 1988)
Notes on Gesture
2015
Single-channel video (color, sound)
Duration: 10 minutes, 27 seconds
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Gerda Wegener (Danish, 1885-1940)
A Masked Ball
1922
Watercolor, gouache, and pencil on paper
711.2 × 609.6 mm. (28 × 24 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The John Dorsey and Robert W. Armacost Acquisitions Endowment

Nell Hall Williams (American, born 1933)
Quilt: Blocks and Strips
1971
Cotton, polyester, nylon knit, corduroy
83 × 73 in. (210.8 × 185.4 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation; and purchase with exchange funds from the Pearlstone Family Fund and partial gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Unidentified Artist
Tray
c.1725-1750
Potosí, Bolivia
Silver
15 1/2 × 12 in. (39.4 × 30.5 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Decorative Arts Acquisitions Endowment established by the Friends of the American Wing

Gifts

Get Your Life!
Designer: Dalin Haleem (born 2002)
Rainbow Pants
2016
Acrylic on jeans
48 × 36 in. (121.9 × 91.4 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Get Your Life!, Baltimore

Nancy Stevenson Graves (American, 1940-1995) Footscray (Australia Series)
1985
Oil, acrylic, and glitter on canvas with painted aluminum sculpture
76 1/4 × 173 × 12 1/4 in. (193.7 × 439.4 × 31.1 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Louis B. Thalheimer

Red Grooms (American, born 1937)
Matisse
1976
Lithograph
Sheet: 876.3 × 647.7 mm. (34 1/2 × 25 1/2 in.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Promised gift of Steven Scott, Baltimore, in Honor of Jay McKean Fisher, BMA Emeritus Senior Curator for Prints, Drawings, and Photographs

Deborah Kass (American, born 1952)
Gold Barbra (The Jewish Jackie Series)
From the series "The Warhol Project: The Jewish Jackies"
1992
Silkscreen ink and acrylic on canvas
72 × 60 in. (182.9 × 152.4 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Michael and Ilene Salcman, Baltimore

Paul Klee (Swiss, 1879-1940)
The King Charges On
1913
Ink on paper
Framed: 2 3/4 × 6 3/4 in. (7 × 17.1 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift in Memory of Jane Pumphrey Nes

Kenneth Noland (American, 1924-2010)
White, Red and Green
1963
Acrylic on canvas
80 3/4 × 117 3/8 in. (205.1 × 298.1 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Louis B. Thalheimer

Georges Rouault (French, 1871-1958)
The Lawyer
1911
Oil on paper mounted on canvas
15 1/8 x 11 in. (38.4 x 27.9 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Louis B. Thalheimer, Elizabeth T. Wachs and Marjorie T. Coleman

Edmund Charles Tarbell (American, 1862-1938)
Study for Mary and New Castle Poppy
c. 1926
Oil on canvas
22 × 19 × 1 1/2 in. (55.9 × 48.3 × 3.8 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of the Tarbell family

Unknown Artist, American or English
Needlework Picture: Rebecca at the Well
c. 1800
Silk ground, wool or wool and silk embroidery threads
8 ¾ x 7 in. (22.2 x 17.8 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Alexander Baer, Baltimore

Unknown Artist, American or English
Needlework Picture: The Industrious Cottager
c. 1800
Silk ground, wool embroidery threads
11 ½ x 14 ¾ in. (29.2 x 37.5 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art: Gift of Alexander Baer, Baltimore

(Women) Artists

We are asking female-identifying Baltimore area artists to tell us, from their perspective, what it means to be an artist. What should it mean?

Sacrifice, persistence, discipline, early mornings, late nights and sometimes all-nighters in the studio; delayed gratification, legacy building and the creativity, energy and foresight needed to ‘keep it together’ and move forward. These are some of the things that come to mind when I think about my life as an artist, wife, mother and educator.

LaToya M. Hobbs

Se Jong Cho

I am adding my story to the human narratives that define our existence. This is about taking control of our destiny because our future is founded on our present reality. Art is like a mirror that reflects our reality. On this mirror, I want to see women's stories reflected as legitimate and equal part of our history.

When I hear ‘women artists’ I immediately think of the empowering opportunities we create. I also think of a binary and the historic friction in the arts between men and femmes of all, or no, genders. As a curator, I see a pathway for more femme voices in the city of Baltimore and global art communities.

Joy Davis

Megan Lewis

Being a woman artist means holding myself up to the highest narrative and visual standards possible. Imagery is very powerful and can carry through time. Making sure I’m representing black women’s images correctly, being true to myself, and how my work is seen is very important to me. It’s a different feeling when a woman artist tells a story. It feels more connected to me. It’s the ability to tell a story that only we can tell.

I have had specific experiences that result from the fact that I was assigned female at birth in 1980, but I don't always know what it means to be a woman in the first place, not to mention being a woman and an artist. I tend to think of my gender expression as a performance even though it matches my gender assignment. The fact that these two things—my gender assignment and my gender expression—usually match affords me many privileges in the world, even while people who identify similarly have not achieved equality to cisgendered white men in the art world or in the world at large. There's a lot of nuance to this conversation, but my experience of my own gender identity and how it feels internally vs. how it is received externally is inextricable from my practice as an artist, as a queer person, as a parent, and as a human being alive right this minute.

There are a lot of incredible people who have made work that has been interpreted through the framework of the category ‘woman artist.’ (Some of my personal heroes include Ruth Asawa, Judy Chicago, Senga Nengudi, Leonora Carrington, Louise Bourgeois, Mona Hatoum, Ana Mendieta, Carrie Mae Weems, Ann Hamilton, Kara Walker, Claude Cahun, perhaps not a 'woman' but actually nonbinary or trans masc, the list could go on and on.) But this category is only useful to the extent that a person identifies in that way, and that they feel it's relevant to understanding their work. At its best, it can provide context that can deepen our understanding of someone's work, but at its worst can be used for tokenization or to erase other aspects of a person's identity, or to act as an exclusionary category. It's a delicate process, the work of developing a language for discussing how one's identity affects their work.

Bonnie Crawford

Contact

BMA Communications
10 Art Museum Drive
Baltimore, MD 21218-3898
Phone
443-573-1870
Email
Anne Mannix Brown
Sarah Pedroni

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