From old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a major Latin American director, galleries as well as institutions throughout the US are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions coming up in 2026.
The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein
Announced several years ago in 2023, now merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's website, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.
Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice
San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and another, will be centering Venice with two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum will offer a exploration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist 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 met the challenge, creating some 37 paintings, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.
Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection
Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that never made it of the final cut, creating an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.
The Sculptural World of Carol Bove
The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, starting with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a new collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her components straight from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of work are ripe for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.
Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color
Those who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.
Raphael: Sublime Poetry
The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American 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*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.
Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love
NYC’s 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 new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive experience, with visitors invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.
Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance
The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed assemblages. The show highlights new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her ongoing project of using found items as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.
Taking Back Our Space
Expanding upon the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to 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, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.
