American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway. (410) 244-1900, avam.org. “The Great Mystery Show,” A group exhibition of self-taught artists exploring the unknown and human imagination. Through Sept. 2. “Reverend Albert Lee Wagner: Miracle At Midnight,” Art by the late visionary artist who experienced a spiritual epiphany at age 50. Ongoing.
Area 405, 405 E. Oliver St., area405.com. “Retreat,” In a dual exhibition, Baltimore-based artist Lu Zhang presents an in-flux, experimental installation ‘Headspace’ alongside New York-based artist William Lamson’s video installation ‘Untitled’ (Infinity Camera).’ Through Jan. 13.
Baltimore City Hall, 100 Holliday St., (410) 396-3100, facebook.com/MayorCatherinePugh. “WOKE,” Recent abstract paintings by Alma Roberts. Through Jan. 15.
Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive, (443) 573-1700, artbma.org. “Njideka Akunyili Crosby: Counterparts,” A suite of new paintings by 2017 MacArthur fellow Njideka Akunyili Crosby drawing from her experience as a Nigerian immigrant. Through March 18. “Phaan Howng: The Succession of Nature,” in collaboration with Blue Water Baltimore, local artist Phaan Howng highlights local environmental issues through a toxic-toned immersive installation. Through Aug. 31. “Spiral Play: Loving in the ’80s,” Three dimensional collages in intense colors and spiral shapes by the late African-American abstract expressionist Al Loving. Through April 15. “Annet Couwenberg: From Digital to Damask,” Maryland-based artist Annet Couwenberg investigates the intersections of science, art, history, and technology through 11 textile works. Through Feb. 18. “Tomás Saraceno: Entangled Orbits,” Web-like clusters of iridescent-paneled modules are suspended in the museum’s East Lobby. Through June 10. “Black Box: Kara Walker & Hank Willis Thomas,” ‘Salvation’ by Kara Walker and ‘And I Can’t Run’ by Hank Willis Thomas are paired as explorations of the legacy of slavery. Through March 18. “Crossing Borders: Mexican Modernist Prints,” 30 prints and drawings by artists including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Elizabeth Catlett. Through March 11. “Beyond Flight: Birds in African Art,” Approximately 20 works demonstrate the symbolic roles birds serve within African cultures. Through June 10. “Head Back & High: Senga Nengudi, Performance Objects (1976–2015),” Performance photography and a video documenting more than 40 years of work from American artist Senga Negudi. Through May 27.
Cardinal, 1758 Park Ave., cardinalspace.com. “The Post Contemporary Record Store,” Works by Seth Scriver, Neil Feather, Margaret Noble, Rutherford Chang, the Vinyl Vagabonds, and Vaunita Goodman examine the relationship between visual art and vinyl music culture. Artist talks and performances Jan. 19; on view through Jan. 27.
C. Grimaldis Gallery, 523 N. Charles St., (410)539-1080, cgrimaldisgallery.com. “Tara Sellios: Sinuous,” Photographs and watercolor and ink drawings from Boston-based artist Tara Sellios. Through Jan. 12. “Ben Marcin: Structures,” New photographs from the self-taught Baltimore photographer’s ongoing series of abstract grids. Through Jan. 12.
Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-1651, creativealliance.org. “James Hennessey: Enduring Concerns,” A career-spanning retrospective showcases large work produced by the former longtime MICA professor over the course of more than 50 years. Through Jan. 13. “Joshua Highter: Intimately Unfamiliar,” Process-driven, abstract paintings by the Maryland-based artist. Through Dec. 30.
Goya Contemporary, 3000 Chestnut Ave., Mill Centre #214, (410) 366-2001, goyacontemporary.com. “Wilhelm Mundt: Trashstones,” Prints and sculptures from the “Trashstone” series by German artist Wilhelm Mundt. Through Jan. 3. “Josef Albers: Variants,” Work by the influential artist-education and Bauhaus member, best known for his experimentations in color. Through Jan. 3.
Guest Spot At The Reinstitute, 1715 N. Calvert St., (718) 541-9672, guestspot.org. “Not on View: Re/Activating the Archive and its A/Effects,” Work from Conrad Bakker, Eric Doeringer, Noah Fischer, Kang Seung Lee, Antoine Lefebvre, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, and Paul Soulellis; with selected ephemera, texts, and archival materials from John Cage, Juan Caloca, Sylvia Federici, Coco Fusco, the Guerrilla Girls, Martin Herbert, David Horvitz, the Journal of Aesthetics & Protest, Miranda July, Sister Corita Kent, Zoe Leonard, Mess Hall, Occupy Museums, John O’Connor, Press Press, Public Collectors, The Reinstitute Press, Gregory Sholette, Temporary Services, W.A.G.E. (Working Artists and the Greater Economy), Kara Walker, and Caroline Woolard. Through Jan. 6.
Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument St., (410) 685-3750, mdhs.org. “Unscripted Moments: The Life & Photography of Joseph Kohl,” Photographs from c.1980 through 2002 by the late Baltimore photojournalist Joseph Kohl. Ongoing.
Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St., (410) 244-0899, themetrogallery.net. “Complicated World Views,” Works by Ryan Travis Christian, Lauren Genovese, Kat Kennedy, Matt Leines, and Anna Silina. Through Dec. 31.
Motor House, 120 W. North Ave., (410) 637-8300, motorhousebaltimore.com. “Censored,” Art by Baltimore-based artists Paul Rucker and Stephen Towns, both of whom have previously had work closed to the public or removed in response to complaints or fears of protest. Also on view are images of performances by local performance artist Lynn Hunter and photographs of Baltimore’s Confederate and Columbus monuments before and after removal. Through Dec. 31.
Project 1628, 1628 Bolton St., contact pumphreykatie@gmail.com to view. “Katie Pumphrey: Rearranging Rooms,” Through large-scale paintings and installation, local artist Katie Pumphrey explores the tension between movement and stillness. Artist talk and closing reception Jan. 4, 6-8 p.m.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, 830 E. Pratt St., (443) 263-1800, lewismuseum.org. “Maryland Collects: Jacob Lawrence,” Over 50 prints by Jacob Lawrence from personal collections in and around Maryland. Through Jan. 7.
School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light St., (410) 396-4641, school33.org. “Slow Form,” A juried exhibition featuring the work of Mary Baum, Mollye Bendell, Kei Ito, Elizabeth Mead, Lake Newton, Nick Primo, Margaret Rorison, Matthew Sepielli, and Doohyun Yoon. Through Jan. 6. “Decompositions,” A solo exhibition by Chris Zickefoose employing common construction materials and negative space. Through Jan. 6. “Lost Earring,” A multi-media installation by Elliot Doughtie considers the shift of cultural touchstones and the evolution of the artist’s own queer sexuality and transgender body. Through Jan. 6.
St. Charles Projects, 2701 N. Charles St., stcharlesprojects.com. “Pre-Verse,” Paintings by June Culp, Joshua Bienko, and Delphine Hennelly in conversation with Grace Hartigan. Through mid-January.
The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., (410)547-9000, thewalters.org. “Fabergé and the Russian Crafts Tradition: An Empire’s Legacy,” 70 works including the Walters’ two famed Fabergé Easter eggs alongside gold and silver vessels, enamels, jewelry, carved stones, and icons from Russia. Through June 24. “After Fabergé,” Five digital prints of surreal, digitally-rendered Fabergé eggs by artist Jonathan Monaghan complement the exhibition “Fabergé and the Russian Crafts Tradition.” Through June 24.
Y:ART, 3402 Gough St., (443) 928-2272, yartgalleryandfinegifts.com. “The Miniature Holiday Exhibition,” Small artworks that serve well as gifts by Craig Haupt, Diana Sanlorenzo Campbell, Edmond Praybe, Justin Wiest, Ken Karlic, Lois Borgenicht, Mary Bickford, Nieves Saah, Ricardo Hoegg, Roland Phillips, Sally Hopkins, and Susan McCurdy Yonkers. Through Jan. 13.