🔗 Share this article

From Renaissance masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries across the United States are preparing a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, now just a placeholder listing at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant anticipation. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on the Floating City with two interconnected shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, creating approximately 37 paintings, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of footage that never made it of the final cut, creating an art installation that doubles as a love letter to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved 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 some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a fresh series of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in prestigious venues. With significant exhibitions in the MoMA and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of work are ripe for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus around 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change 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 in all, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members invited to interact with the four moveable screens that show the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.