On view January 16, 2026, to January 31, 2027
Here and Now: Selections from the Contemporary Collection highlights key holdings and new acquisitions of contemporary art in the Tampa Museum of Art’s permanent collection. With a focus on art of the moment or art of our time, Here and Now nods to the collecting history of the Museum, as well as the significance of the present—the materials, narratives, and events informing contemporary art making. As the works in this gallery demonstrate, contemporary artists portray life around them from the vantage point of observer, inquisitor, cartographer, or cultural historian. Moreover, the works on view often blur the boundaries of traditional media—for example, paintings may be enhanced with sculptural or photographic materials; the ready-made or found object serves as the source of inspiration; or an assortment of images creates a whole picture.
The artists featured in the 2026 presentation of Here and Now use everyday objects as a representation of self, home, and community. Two significant paintings by Los Angeles-based artist Mark Bradford, on loan from outside collections, anchor this iteration of Here and Now. Bradford makes abstract collages from paper, such as flyers and beauty salon end papers, to highlight identity, art history, and his neighborhood in LA. Collection artists Pepe Mar and Richard Stankiewicz create human-like forms from found objects to reference themselves and specific places. Additionally, Esterio Segura’s Hybrid of a Chrysler (installed outside on the
Breta Sullivan Terrace) and the Date Farmer’s Star Rider (featured in the hallway adjacent to the Ed and Ann Gessen Corridor) address migration in large-scale installations rendered from unique sources. Viewed together, the artworks exhibited in Here and Now offer intimate glimpses into the artists’s lives and personal journeys.