Meryl McMaster (nêhiyaw from Red Pheasant Cree Nation). niwaniskān isi kiya | I Awake To You. 2023. One of the new works in the New Baltimore Museum of Art Acquisitions.

Powerful historical and contemporary pieces highlighting the BMA’s commitment to women artists, Native artists, performance art, and global cultures are part of its recent acquisitions.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

BALTIMORE, MD–The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has unveiled its acquisition of over 100 extraordinary works of art. This diverse collection spans both historical and contemporary pieces. It highlights the BMA’s commitment to enriching its holdings with a focus on women artists, artists of color, those associated with the Baltimore region, and representations of global cultures across different eras.

The acquired artworks cover a multitude of mediums, showcasing paintings by renowned artists. Some of the artists include Marie Bracquemond, Brenda Goodman, Alexander Harrison, Martha Jackson Jarvis, and Hung Liu. Others are Kylie Manning, Megan Rooney, James Alexander Simpson, Helen Torr, Susan Catherine Waters, and James Williams II. Also in the collection are sculptural works by Rhea Dillon, Doyle Lane, Jiha Moon, Shahzia Sikander, and Chiffon Thomas. Additionally, video art by Justen Leroy and Sin Wai Kin, along with works on paper by Merikokeb Berhanu, Darrel Ellis, Dindga McCannon, Peter Milton, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, and others, further enhance the richness of the BMA’s repertoire.

New Baltimore Museum of Art Acquisitions

Performance Art Takes Center Stage for the First Time

A significant milestone, the new Baltimore Museum of Art acquisitions include performance art, the first in the BMA’s esteemed collection. Jefferson Pinder’s Ben-Hur (2012), a groundbreaking work by the interdisciplinary artist, holds a pivotal place in the BMA’s acquisitions. Pinder, known for exploring race and history through performance, moving images, sound, and sculpture, weaves a powerful narrative through this piece. The addition of a detailed guide and video documentation ensures the preservation and future staging of this iconic work, marking a transformative moment for the BMA.

On April 21, the BMA will present Preoccupied: Indigenizing the Museum, a series of exhibitions and projects highlighting the work, experiences, and voices of Native artists. Taking center stage is a specially commissioned work by Mark Tayac, the 29th-generation hereditary Chief of the Piscataway Indian Nation, titled “Traditional Beaver Pouch Bag” (2024). Crafted with meticulous care using beaver hide and deerskin, adorned with white clamshells, wampum shell beads, and deer toes, this piece reflects a deep connection to the tobacco history of the Maryland region.

Native Acquisitions: A Tapestry of Stories

Expanding its Native Works collection, the new Baltimore Museum of Art acquisitions include Meryl McMaster’s high-definition video nisi kiya | I Awake To You (2013). McMaster, of nêhiyaw descent from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation, weaves self-portraiture, poetry, and narration into a compelling exploration of personal identity, land, lineage, memory, and colonialism. Jeremy Frey’s (Passamaquoddy) optically radiant basket, Aura (2023), adds another layer of significance to the collection. Using a traditional Wabanaki porcupine pattern, Frey creates a visually captivating interplay of light, dye, and form.

The BMA has also received significant gifts, emphasizing the museum’s commitment to inclusive art curation. Darnell Burfoot, a longstanding supporter and president of the museum’s Prints, Drawings, and Photographs Society, generously added to the collection. His contribution includes 10 prints, two photographs, and two decorative arts objects. Burfoot’s focus on BIPOC artists aligns seamlessly with the BMA’s mission. It features lithographs by John Biggers, a limited-edition screen print by contemporary artist Obey (Shepard Fairey), and Frank Gehry’s iconic “Wiggle Side Chair” (1969–72). There is also a collaborative silk skirt by Kara Walker and Ann Demeulemeester.

Gordon Parks: The Atmosphere of Crime

Gail and Tony Ganz, Los Angeles-based collectors added a captivating dimension to the BMA’s collection. Their contribution includes 13 photographs from Gordon Parks’ The Atmosphere of Crime series. Parks’ lens, capturing crime, policing, and criminality in 1957 across major American cities, offers a compelling visual narrative. These estate reprints from 2019, carefully selected by the Gordon Parks Foundation, highlight a significant period in history.

Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director, expressed her enthusiasm about the acquisitions, stating, “The works entering our collection activate broader understandings of our moment, our communities, and our histories while creating space for new and underappreciated voices and experiences.” This strategic expansion aligns with the BMA’s mission to tell stories rooted in local contexts while offering a lens into global cultures, ultimately revealing our shared humanity.

The BMA’s recent acquisitions stand as a testament to its dedication to diversity, inclusion, and exploration of artistic expressions. These additions not only enrich the museum’s collection but also contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of our shared cultural heritage.

• Featured Image: Meryl McMaster (nêhiyaw from Red Pheasant Cree Nation). niwaniskān isi kiya | I Awake To You. 2023. The Baltimore Museum of Art: Art Fund established with exchange funds from Gifts of Dr. and Mrs. Edgar F. Berman, Equitable Bank, N.A., Geoffrey Gates, Sandra O. Moose, National Endowment for the Arts, Lawrence Rubin, Philip M. Stern, and Alan J. Zakon, BMA 2023.230. © The Artist

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