Inside the Baltimore Museum of Art’s 2025 Acquisitions
In 2025, the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) unveiled one of its most ambitious acquisition portfolios yet, adding nearly 250 works that dramatically enrich the museum’s encyclopaedic collection and expand its global narrative of art history. These additions—from masterworks linked to iconic figures like Henri Matisse to powerful contemporary pieces such as Kiyan Williams’ Statue of Freedom and historically significant Senegalese tapestries—underscore the institution’s commitment to diversity, cross-cultural dialogue, and artistic innovation.
At the heart of the museum’s acquisition strategy is a deepening of its already stellar modern and contemporary holdings. The BMA has long been celebrated for possessing the world’s largest public collection of works by Henri Matisse, and the 2025 acquisitions further strengthen this legacy. A significant gift of 10 copper plates and 10 etchings by Matisse, generously given by Barbara Dauphin Duthuit (the widow of the artist’s grandson), joins the museum’s extensive archive of his working materials. Some of these etchings connect to Matisse’s first major illustrated book, Poems of Stéphane Mallarmé (1932), while others depict his daughter Marguerite—an enduring subject in his oeuvre.
But the BMA’s vision goes well beyond expanding historical coverage: it centres emerging and underrepresented voices in contemporary art. One particularly striking addition is Kiyan Williams’ Statue of Freedom (Marsha P. Johnson), 2024—a powerful reimagining of the iconic monument that crowned the U.S. Capitol. Whereas the original bronze figure symbolizes national ideals, Williams instead references Marsha P. Johnson, the legendary Black trans activist whose life and work helped catalyze the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Cast in chrome-plated aluminum, the mirrored surface invites viewers to see themselves in the work, disrupting traditional monumentality and emphasizing reflection, identity, and resistance.
The breadth of acquisitions also dramatically extends the museum’s global modern art narrative. Among them are stunning tapestries by Senegalese artists Théodore Diouf and Bocar Pathe Diong, produced at the Manufacture Sénégalaises des Arts Décoratifs de Thiès. These works exemplify the post-independence cultural renaissance in Senegal under President Léopold Sédar Senghor, drawing on indigenous stories, vibrant abstraction, and bold color to assert a uniquely artistic identity that challenges colonial legacies. These tapestries not only enrich the BMA’s holdings but also signal a meaningful institutional commitment to representing African modernism in American museum contexts.
Beyond these standout pieces, the 2025 acquisitions include paintings, sculptures, mixed-media works, textiles, and prints from artists representing regions as diverse as Lebanon, Japan, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Sudan, and Mexico. This global spectrum reflects the BMA’s ongoing dedication to inclusivity—creating a richer dialogue between local voices and world art traditions.
Under the leadership of Director Asma Naeem, the museum continues to reposition its collection as a living, evolving dialogue that challenges conventional art historical hierarchies. By embracing works that span eras, cultures, and identities, the BMA is not just expanding what art it houses—it’s reshaping the stories art can tell about human experience, creativity, and connection.
Whether through the added depth of Matisse’s materials, the bold statements in contemporary sculpture, or the vibrant modernism of Senegalese tapestries, the 2025 acquisitions mark a pivotal moment in the Baltimore Museum of Art’s mission to reflect a pluralistic, globally engaged perspective on art history.
