Contemporary art generally refers to art made by artists living today. The Tucson Museum of Art defines it more broadly as works created between 1970 and the present. The art of today is diverse and pluralistic, global in scope, and multi-disciplinary, often reflecting and commenting on modern-day society. The museum’s collection of contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography, and video art has grown since 1970 due to the generosity of artists, collectors, and galleries. Some of the earliest works of contemporary art in the collection are the result of purchase awards from the annual Tucson Festival and Arizona Crafts exhibitions, made possible by the Virginia Johnson Acquisition Fund. One of the most substantial collections was given in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. William A. Small, who added 90 important works by American artists to the collection. Since 1981, Dan Leach has given more than 130 artworks, enhancing the collection. In 2000, the museum’s Contemporary Art Society began to raise funds for acquisitions, which has resulted in the acquisition of more than ten important works by internationally renowned artists.

Image credit: Enrique Martinez Celaya, The Fight for Air, 2012, bronze, 2/5. Collection of the Tucson Museum of Art. Gift of the Contemporary Art Society. 2019.29