(O)KAN is a wordplay rooted in the tonal richness of the Yorùbá language, where a shift in intonation opens up vastly different meanings. In one register, ọkan means “one”—a symbol of unity, singularity, or wholeness. In another, ó kán translates as “it broke”—evoking rupture, fragmentation, and loss. Other permutations speak to the heart, the soul, the conscience, bitterness, and the sensations of being included, touched, affected, or broken open.

Clay from the Classroom is our annual exhibition celebrating the talent and triumphs of our students and their instructors, featuring beginner through advanced ceramic art from our various classes from the past year. Functional wares like mugs and bowls to more complex forms such as teapots and jars will show off the techniques and skills of our students. Figurative and abstract sculptural art are also part of the show and reflect our course offerings.

A selection of approximately 40 paintings, prints, and drawings from the BMA’s collection explores the role of water and landscape in defining the early modern Dutch Republic.

Baltimore Clayworks is proud to present the 2024-25 Lormina Salter Fellow Exhibition, showcasing the work of Kristyn Rohrer. Kristyn’s compelling ceramic sculptures blend process, design, and storytelling, reflecting on their Mennonite heritage while reinterpreting the nostalgia of Pennsylvania Dutch culture through a contemporary lens. This exhibition invites viewers to explore themes of identity, tradition, and transformation expressed through Kristyn’s unique artistic voice.

This focus exhibition of 10 works explores the relationship between burning fossil fuels—namely, coal—and the emergence of European modernism. Drawing on research conducted by climate scientists and art historians, the exhibition presents a range of paintings and works on paper by Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, James McNeill Whistler, and others to explore the ways that their artistic practices and style emerged, in part, in response to widespread pollution in London and Paris.

The Baltimore Museum of Art is open until 9 p.m.on Thursdays.

This exhibition features a monumental installation by New York-based artist and long-distance runner Malcolm Peacock, who spent his formative years in Baltimore.

Inspired by the giant, ancient redwood trees Peacock encountered while training for marathons in the Pacific Northwest, the 8-foot tall and wide tree-like form is covered with thousands of strands of hand-braided synthetic hair—the creation of which was an act of endurance in itself.

Baltimore Clayworks is delighted to present the 2024-25 EMBARC Fellow Exhibition, featuring the thought-provoking work of Kashima Robinson. This exhibition highlights Kashima’s exploration of non-functional sculptural ceramic forms, where mosaics, tiles, and intricate containers reflect themes of self-discovery and transformation. Their work invites viewers to engage with moments of transition and ambiguity, challenging perceptions and offering insight into the spaces between defined forms.

April 27, 2025 — July 27, 2025

Overview

The 2025 Baker Artist Awards exhibition at the BMA showcases the work of five artists: 2019 awardee Selin Balci, 2023 awardees Oletha DeVane and Jordan Tierney, and 2024 awardees Stephen Towns and Kelley Bell.

Art is, at its core, grounded in the extraction of nature. Artworks are made of and made through the transformation of earth, air, light, animals, and plants. This focus exhibition foregrounds the natural-ness of all artworks and tells a history of artmaking’s relationship to the natural world from historic sustainability to exploitative practice and sustainable futures.

Dr. Fish's poetry transforms ordinary moments into thoughtful reflections, depicting characters and everyday encounters. Enjoy the Lonely Lemons adventure in finding love, Chef Gustav's culinary adventures, and explore the lifelong rivalry between two devilish squirrels, Rascal and Houdini, in the Chase Is On, told in story form.