🔗 Share this article

From Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican film-maker, galleries as well as galleries throughout the US have some dazzling shows on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held holdings of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will be centering the Floating City with two linked exhibitions: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, creating approximately 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of footage that was left out into the released movie, crafting an art installation that doubles as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculptor creator a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a fresh series of works fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her components straight from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With major shows in the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of creation are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research spanned art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.