Francisco Masó Receives Recognition at the 12th Annual Florida Prize in Contemporary Art at the Orlando Museum of Art
Orlando, FL — The Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) proudly announces the opening of the 12th Annual Florida Prize in Contemporary Art, a prestigious exhibition celebrating some of the most innovative and progressive artists living and working in Florida today. The exhibition opens on May 30, 2026, and features twelve artists and collectives whose practices reflect the cultural vitality and artistic excellence shaping contemporary art in the state.
Among this year’s distinguished participants is Francisco Masó, a Cuban-born, AfroLatinx conceptual artist based in Miami, whose work has garnered increasing national and international recognition for its incisive exploration of power, repression, and social behavior.
Born in Havana in 1988, Masó received a Bachelor’s degree in Stage Design from the Higher Institute of Art in Cuba in 2014. His multidisciplinary practice examines systems of control, unconscious behaviors, violence, and unspoken social codes through the lens of his experiences in Cuba, Japan, and the United States. His work challenges accepted notions of what society defines as “natural,” “necessary,” and “normal,” creating powerful visual narratives that resonate across cultural and political boundaries.
The Florida Prize in Contemporary Art was established by OMA to bring new recognition to the state’s leading contemporary artists. Each year, OMA’s curatorial team surveys artists throughout Florida before selecting participants whose work demonstrates originality, conceptual depth, and visual innovation. A distinguished invited juror awards one artist or collective the prestigious $20,000 Florida Prize.
This year marks the first edition of the exhibition to include two artist duos, bringing together a total of twelve artists. The 2026 participating artists are:
- Maria Theresa Barbist
- Rose Marie Cromwell
- Jason Hackenwerth
- Katie Hargrave and Meredith Laura Lynn
- Francisco Masó
- Jessy Nite
- Charo Oquet
- Ema Ri
- Mette Tommerup
- “Nice’n Easy” duo Allison Matherly and Jeffery Noble
The exhibition presents a remarkable diversity of mediums and artistic approaches, including painting, photography, sculpture, weaving, assemblage, site-specific installations, immersive environments, and minimalist interventions. A recurring theme throughout the exhibition is language — from text-based works and coded systems to spiritual rituals, inherited histories, and the development of personal visual vocabularies.
Curated by Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon, The Dr. James Cottrell and Mr. Joseph Lovett Chief Curator, and Katherine Page, Associate Curator at the Orlando Museum of Art, the exhibition underscores OMA’s ongoing commitment to supporting contemporary artists in Florida. The 2026 Florida Prize juror is Jade Powers, The Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
The 12th Annual Florida Prize in Contemporary Art offers audiences an engaging and timely survey of contemporary artistic practices while highlighting the unique voices shaping Florida’s cultural landscape today.
For more information, visit the Orlando Museum of Art website: https://omart.org/
