🔗 Share this article

Spanning old masters and pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican director, art museums as well as institutions throughout the United States are preparing a series of dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, now just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will be centering Venice with two linked shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 paintings, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of film that never made it into the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly the director dug deep into the archives to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a new collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of work are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus around 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely received a major show on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show highlights new work based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.