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.
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, 21 S. Eutaw St., (443) 874-3596, bromoseltzertower.com. “Moonifestations of Ancestral Earth: a voyage of expansion,” A celestial mixed media exhibition by Baltimore duo The Dandy Vagabonds (xander dumas and elliot moonstone). Closing reception Jan. 27 (guided meditation at noon, artist talk at 2:30 p.m.).
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.
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. “Peter Stern: Third Spaces,” Aerial photographs of the Mid-Atlantic by photographer and pilot Peter Stern. Gallery talk Jan. 11, 6:45 p.m.; on view through Jan. 27.
Current Space, 421 N. Howard St., (410) 343-9295, currentspace.com. “Horizon Compromise,” A solo exhibition of photographs by Brad Ziegler created over the course of three years spent traveling 46 states. Opening reception Jan. 13, 7-10 p.m.; on view through Feb. 4. “Nature,” Photography by Natalie Conn taken during visits to the Museum of Natural History in New York. Opening reception Jan. 13, 7-10 p.m.; on view through Feb. 4.
Goya Contemporary, 3000 Chestnut Ave., Mill Centre #214, (410) 366-2001, goyacontemporary.com. “Lilian Hoover,” A solo exhibition by the local painter. Through March 1.
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.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, 830 E. Pratt St., (443) 263-1800, lewismuseum.org. “Freedom: Emancipation Quilted & Stitched,” Documentary-style story quilts by artist Joan M.E. Gaither, PhD that celebrate the contributions, lives, and legacies of people of color in Maryland. Through Feb. 28.
Steven Scott Gallery, 808 S. Ann St., (410) 902-9300, stevenscottgallery.com. “Painterly,” Recent works by Robert Andriulli, Gary Bukovnik, Ellen Hill, Sheep Jones, Kathryn O’Grady, and Frank Trefny. Through March 31.
Terrault, 218 W. Saratoga St., 3rd floor, (336) 707-5511, terraultcontemporary.com. “Cut, Copy, Paste. It’s Not What You Think,” New mixed media works by local artist Alex Ebstein and New York-based artist Leah Guadagnoli. Through Feb. 17.
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.