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The Time is Always Now

The Time is Always Now

SPECIAL EXHIBITION STORE

Browse the Merch Capsule- designed in collaboration with Tré Seals of VOCALTYPE- alongside a thoughtful curation of books and exhibition souvenirs.

The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure

Shop the Exhibition Catalog alongside exclusive merch designed by Tre Seals and a thoughtful curation of books, locally-made gifts, and more.


Purchase the Exhibition Catalog | Available in Two Sizes

Both of these beautifully arranged books offer a thoughtful introduction to the works of 22 contemporary artists featured in the show

FULL-SIZE CATALOG

COMPANION BOOK


The Time is Always Now Merch | Designed by Tre Seals of VOCALTYPE

We partnered with Tre Seals, the founder of VOCALTYPE, a black-owned foundry based in Brooklyn, NY.

Did you know: Only __% of graphic design and type foundries are black-owned.

HOODIES & T-SHIRTS

BRASS ENAMEL PIN

5-PANEL HAT

  • The Time Is Always Now Beanie The Time Is Always Now Beanie

    The Time Is Always Now Beanie

    $26.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $26.00
  • The Time Is Always Now Crew Socks The Time Is Always Now Crew Socks

    The Time Is Always Now Crew Socks

    $18.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $18.00
  • Crown - An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes Crown - An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes

    Crown - An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes

    $18.95
    The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes...
    $18.95
  • Local Artist
    Act 3 (Birds) Cyanotype Silk Scarf by Yannick Lowery Act 3 (Birds) Cyanotype Silk Scarf by Yannick Lowery

    Act 3 (Birds) Cyanotype Silk Scarf by Yannick Lowery

    $138.00
    "Blue Winds" is a collection of wearable art works by visual artist Yannick Lowery. Featuring previous collage works by the artist re-envisioned as cyanotypes, this scarf depicts part a six-part saga inspired by Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. An...
    $138.00
  • The Time Is Always Now Baseball Hat The Time Is Always Now Baseball Hat

    The Time Is Always Now Baseball Hat

    $36.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $36.00
  • Museum Exclusive
    The Time Is Always Now Screenprint Poster by Tré Seals The Time Is Always Now Screenprint Poster by Tré Seals

    The Time Is Always Now Screenprint Poster by Tré Seals

    $49.00
    This item requires a $10 Shipping Surcharge. Some fragile or oversized items require additional surcharges that allow us to ensure your purchase arrives quickly and safely. To preserve the integrity of this archival print, it will be shipped flat. The...
    $49.00
  • The Time Is Always Now Carpenter Pencil The Time Is Always Now Carpenter Pencil

    The Time Is Always Now Carpenter Pencil

    $3.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $3.00
  • Museum Exclusive
    The Time is Always Now Enamel Pin The Time is Always Now Enamel Pin

    The Time is Always Now Enamel Pin

    $12.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $12.00
  • Strathmore Colored Pencil Pad 400 Series 9 x 12 Strathmore Colored Pencil Pad 400 Series 9 x 12

    Strathmore Colored Pencil Pad 400 Series 9 x 12

    $22.00
    This heavy-weight, all-purpose white paper is excellent for practicing techniques or creating finished artwork using colored pencil. It also produces good results with markers and pen and ink. Each wire-bound pad contains 30 micro-perforated sheets that...
    $22.00
  • Strathmore Colored Pencil Pad 400 Series 6 x 8 Strathmore Colored Pencil Pad 400 Series 6 x 8

    Strathmore Colored Pencil Pad 400 Series 6 x 8

    $12.00
    This heavy-weight, all-purpose white paper is excellent for practicing techniques or creating finished artwork using colored pencil. It also produces good results with markers and pen and ink. Each wire-bound pad contains 30 micro-perforated sheets that...
    $12.00
  • Derwent Portrait Colors Tin Set of 6 Derwent Portrait Colors Tin Set of 6

    Derwent Portrait Colors Tin Set of 6

    $24.00
    Derwent Coloursoft fine art pencils deliver a smooth creamy laydown and offer superior blending and layering without bloom. Their thick 4mm leads offer plenty of useable color and hold a point without breaking. They are offered in a variety of sets to...
    $24.00
  • The African Gaze: Photography, Cinema and Power The African Gaze: Photography, Cinema and Power

    The African Gaze: Photography, Cinema and Power

    $65.00
    An accessible yet critical introduction to African photography and film from the mid-twentieth century to present day. The African Gaze is a comprehensive exploration of postcolonial and contemporary photography and cinema from Africa. Drawing from...
    $65.00
  • Wangechi Mutu Wangechi Mutu

    Wangechi Mutu

    $54.95
    The first monograph on the work of celebrated and influential Kenyan-American artist Wangechi Mutu Wangechi Mutu's remarkable body of work touches on such issues as sexuality, ecology, politics, and the rhythms and chaos that govern the world. Her...
    $54.95
  • Kerry James Marshall Kerry James Marshall

    Kerry James Marshall

    $54.95
     The most comprehensive book yet on this inspired, inventive chronicler of the African American experience. Alabama-born, Chicago-based Kerry James Marshall is one of the most exciting artists working today. Critically and commercially acclaimed,...
    $54.95
  • Soul of a Nation Art in the Age of Black Power Soul of a Nation Art in the Age of Black Power

    Soul of a Nation Art in the Age of Black Power

    $45.00
    African American art in the era of Malcolm X and the Black Panthers In the period of radical change that was 1963–83, young black artists at the beginning of their careers confronted difficult questions about art, politics and racial identity. How to...
    $45.00
  • Amy Sherald: The World We Make Amy Sherald: The World We Make

    Amy Sherald: The World We Make

    $55.00
    This is the first comprehensive monograph on acclaimed painter Amy Sherald, whose distinctive style of simplified realist portraiture features African American subjects rendered against colorful monochrome backdrops or in everyday settings. Sherald rose...
    $55.00
  • Claudette Johnson: Line, Rhythm, Space Claudette Johnson: Line, Rhythm, Space

    Claudette Johnson: Line, Rhythm, Space

    $49.95
    Tender yet compelling, Johnson's portraits of herself, her friends and her relatives are touchstones of Black figuration. A founding member of the Black British Arts Movement, Claudette Johnson (born 1959) creates large-scale drawings of Black people...
    $49.95
  • Henry Taylor: B Side Henry Taylor: B Side

    Henry Taylor: B Side

    $60.00
    Surveying 30 years of Henry Taylor’s work in painting, sculpture and installation, this comprehensive monograph celebrates a Los Angeles artist widely appreciated for his unique aesthetic, social vision and freewheeling experimentation. Taylor’s...
    $60.00
  • Jordan Casteel: Within Reach Jordan Casteel: Within Reach

    Jordan Casteel: Within Reach

    $45.00
    In her large-scale oil paintings, New York-based artist Jordan Casteel (born 1989) takes up questions of Black subjectivity and representation by examining the gestures, spaces and forms of nonverbal communication that underpin portraiture. “There is a...
    $45.00
  • We Are Black History Board Book We Are Black History Board Book

    We Are Black History Board Book

    $9.99
    A celebration of Black History for babies and toddlers! We Are Black History Board Book from Mudpuppy is a wonderful introduction to the black leaders and trailblazers who have shaped our world! From the inspiring words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to...
    $9.99
  • I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes

    I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes

    $18.99
    An upbeat, empowering, and important picture book! I am a nonstop ball of energy. Powerful and full of light. I am a go-getter. A difference maker. A leader. The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's...
    $18.99
  • Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

    Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

    $18.99
    An ode to the girl with scrapes on her knees and flowers in her hair, and every girl in between, this exquisite treasury will have kids poring over it to find a poem that's just for them.  From Vanessa Brantley-Newton, comes a collection of poetry...
    $18.99
  • Museum Exclusive
    The Time Is Always Now Kids T-Shirt The Time Is Always Now Kids T-Shirt

    The Time Is Always Now Kids T-Shirt

    $32.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $32.00
  • More Colors Available
    Museum Exclusive
    The Time Is Always Now T-Shirt The Time Is Always Now T-Shirt

    The Time Is Always Now T-Shirt

    $38.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $38.00
  • More Colors Available
    Museum Exclusive
    The Time Is Always Now Hoodie The Time Is Always Now Hoodie

    The Time Is Always Now Hoodie

    $88.00
    The Time Is Always Now exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who use figurative painting, drawing and sculpture to illuminate and celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. Curated by British writer...
    $88.00
  • Philly Made
    Shades of Love Print by G+RIZZ Shades of Love Print by G+RIZZ

    Shades of Love Print by G+RIZZ

    $28.00
    G + RIZZ is an art brand started by two Philly creatives. With G’s love of art and Rizz’s love of copy and branding, what started as a jotted-down idea evolved into a collection of clever cards, edgy prints, and funky custom projects...
    $28.00
  • Philly Made
    Shades of Love Notecard by G+RIZZ Shades of Love Notecard by G+RIZZ

    Shades of Love Notecard by G+RIZZ

    $7.00
    G + RIZZ is an art brand started by two Philly creatives. With G’s love of art and Rizz’s love of copy and branding, what started as a jotted-down idea evolved into a collection of clever cards, edgy prints, and funky custom projects...
    $7.00
  • Kè Kontan - Paint Kit - Norales Design 1 Kè Kontan - Paint Kit - Norales Design 1

    Kè Kontan - Paint Kit - Norales Design 1

    $25.00
    Kè Kontan is an 11 Piece Paint Kit. Kè Kontan is Haitian Creole for "Happy heART" and was created to bring joy into the lives of all those who seek representation & creativity. Stapledon Arts is an inclusive art supply company founded by a dedicated...
    $25.00
  • Kè Kontan - Paint Kit - Owens Design 2 Kè Kontan - Paint Kit - Owens Design 2

    Kè Kontan - Paint Kit - Owens Design 2

    $25.00
    Kè Kontan is an 11 Piece Paint Kit. Kè Kontan is Haitian Creole for "Happy heART" and was created to bring joy into the lives of all those who seek representation & creativity.    Stapledon Arts is an inclusive art supply company founded by...
    $25.00
  • Melanin Series - Skin Tone Paints Melanin Series - Skin Tone Paints

    Melanin Series - Skin Tone Paints

    $32.00
    This line of student grade acrylic paints is created specifically with artists of color in mind, featuring 12 inclusive skin tone colors. The Melanin Series makes it more accessible for young, emerging, and Professional BIPOC artists to create figures...
    $32.00
  • Melanin Series - Oil Pastels Melanin Series - Oil Pastels

    Melanin Series - Oil Pastels

    $19.00
    This line of student grade pastels is created specifically with artists of color in mind, featuring 12 inclusive skin tone colors. The Melanin Series makes it more accessible for young, emerging, and Professional BIPOC artists to create figures and...
    $19.00
  • SEEN 007 SEEN 007

    SEEN 007

    $20.00
    Seen is a journal of film, art, and visual culture, dedicated to platforming nuanced and rigorous writing by and about Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities globally.   Issue 007 highlights include: Ja’Tovia Gary and philosopher Dr. Joy James...
    $20.00
  • Philly Made
    Avril Earrings by NoShade Avril Earrings by NoShade

    Avril Earrings by NoShade

    $28.00
    Shelisha Harper of Philadelphia-based NOSHADE exists to inspire others to be fashionably confident. By crafting unique and creative statement earrings that compliment an individual's personal style she challenges the wearer to WEAR BOLD. Keeping in mind...
    $28.00
  • Philly Made
    Aria Earrings by NoShade Aria Earrings by NoShade

    Aria Earrings by NoShade

    $28.00
    Shelisha Harper of Philadelphia-based NOSHADE exists to inspire others to be fashionably confident. By crafting unique and creative statement earrings that compliment an individual's personal style she challenges the wearer to WEAR BOLD. Keeping in mind...
    $28.00
  • Philly Made
    Stacked Gee Earrings by NoShade Stacked Gee Earrings by NoShade

    Stacked Gee Earrings by NoShade

    $28.00
    Shelisha Harper of Philadelphia-based NOSHADE exists to inspire others to be fashionably confident. By crafting unique and creative statement earrings that compliment an individual's personal style she challenges the wearer to WEAR BOLD. Keeping in mind...
    $28.00
  • Philly Made
    Mixed Emotions Earrings by NoShade Mixed Emotions Earrings by NoShade

    Mixed Emotions Earrings by NoShade

    $28.00
    Shelisha Harper of Philadelphia-based NOSHADE exists to inspire others to be fashionably confident. By crafting unique and creative statement earrings that compliment an individual's personal style she challenges the wearer to WEAR BOLD. Keeping in mind...
    $28.00
  • Philly Made
    Sika Earrings by NoShade Sika Earrings by NoShade

    Sika Earrings by NoShade

    $28.00
    Shelisha Harper of Philadelphia-based NOSHADE exists to inspire others to be fashionably confident. By crafting unique and creative statement earrings that compliment an individual's personal style she challenges the wearer to WEAR BOLD. Keeping in mind...
    $28.00
  • Philly Made
    Madi Earrings by NoShade Madi Earrings by NoShade

    Madi Earrings by NoShade

    $28.00
    Shelisha Harper of Philadelphia-based NOSHADE exists to inspire others to be fashionably confident. By crafting unique and creative statement earrings that compliment an individual's personal style she challenges the wearer to WEAR BOLD. Keeping in mind...
    $28.00
  • Why Fonts Matter Why Fonts Matter

    Why Fonts Matter

    $29.95
    Take a look at the experiences and associations typeface evokes. Fonts have different personalities that can create trust or mistrust, give you confidence, make things seem easier to do or make a product taste better. Understand the science behind how...
    $29.95
  • BIG by Vashti Harrison BIG by Vashti Harrison

    BIG by Vashti Harrison

    $19.99
    Winner of the Caldecott Medal! A Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor book, a National Book Award finalist, and a New York Times bestseller! This deeply moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty...
    $19.99
  • Reframing the Black Figure Reframing the Black Figure

    Reframing the Black Figure

    $19.95
    This visual gift book introduces readers to the field of Black figuration by highlighting key works from the National Portrait Gallery exhibition The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure. The selections included in this brief introduction...
    $19.95
  • Lacquered Black Horn Bangle - Khaki Lacquered Black Horn Bangle - Khaki

    Lacquered Black Horn Bangle - Khaki

    $78.00
    Expertly lacquered in natural black horn, this fun and fashionable bangle bracelet was designed in France and sustainably made in Vietnam. Natural horn Approximately 3/4" thick
    $78.00
  • Lacquered Black Horn Cuff - Red Lacquered Black Horn Cuff - Red

    Lacquered Black Horn Cuff - Red

    $78.00
     Expertly lacquered in natural black horn, this fun and fashionable cuff bracelet was designed in France and sustainably made in Vietnam. Natural horn Approximately 1 1/2"
    $78.00
  • Lacquered Black Horn Barrette - Blue Lacquered Black Horn Barrette - Blue

    Lacquered Black Horn Barrette - Blue

    $40.00
      Expertly lacquered in natural black horn, this fun and fashionable hair clip was designed in France and sustainably made in Vietnam. Natural horn Approximately 4 1/2" x 1" wide
    $40.00
  • Lacquered Black Horn Hoop Dangle Earrings Lacquered Black Horn Hoop Dangle Earrings

    Lacquered Black Horn Hoop Dangle Earrings

    $85.00
     Expertly lacquered in natural black horn, these fun and fashionable earrings were designed in France and sustainably made in Vietnam. 12k gold plated hoops Natural horn Approximately 3" from top of hoop x 3/4" wide
    $85.00
  • Lacquered Blonde Horn Hoop Dangle Earrings Lacquered Blonde Horn Hoop Dangle Earrings

    Lacquered Blonde Horn Hoop Dangle Earrings

    $78.00
    Expertly lacquered in natural horn, these fun and fashionable earrings were designed in France and sustainably made in Vietnam. 12k gold plated hoops Natural horn Approximately 3" from top of hoop x 3/4" wide
    $78.00
  • From Slave Ship to Harvard From Slave Ship to Harvard

    From Slave Ship to Harvard

    $26.95
    From Slave Ship to Harvard is the true story of an African American family in Maryland over six generations. The author has reconstructed a unique narrative of black struggle and achievement from paintings, photographs, books, diaries, court records,...
    $26.95
  • Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape

    Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape

    $18.95
    Black Philadelphians have shaped Philadelphia history since colonial times. In Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape, Amy Cohen recounts notable aspects of the Black experience in Philadelphia from the late 1600s to the 1960s and how this history...
    $18.95
  • Any Day Now: Toward a Black Aesthetic Any Day Now: Toward a Black Aesthetic

    Any Day Now: Toward a Black Aesthetic

    $15.00
    Larry Neal, a poet, dramatist, and critic, was a founding figure of the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and 1970s in New York. Writing as the arts editor for Liberator magazine, a radical journal published in Harlem, Neal called for Black artists to...
    $15.00
  • Art Essentials: History of African Art Art Essentials: History of African Art

    Art Essentials: History of African Art

    $18.95
    This indispensable introductory guide explores the art of the African continent from its early origins over 75,000 years ago to the contemporary, set in the context of postcolonial debates, the restitution of cultural objects and artifacts, and the...
    $18.95
  • BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered

    BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered

    $35.00
    African American history has produced countless exceptional heroes, leaders, and role models. The graphic novel, BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered!, tells  the inspiring stories of 14 important Black Philadelphians, such as opera singer Marian...
    $35.00
  •  Young Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists  Young Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists

    Young Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists

    $39.95
    This book surveys the work of a new generation of Black artists, and also features the voices of a diverse group of curators who are on the cutting edge of contemporary art. As mission-driven collectors, Bernard I. Lumpkin and Carmine D. Boccuzzi have...
    $39.95