🔗 Share this article

From old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican film-maker, galleries and galleries throughout the US have a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, now just a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old collection of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue and another, will focus on the Floating City through two linked shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, producing some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *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 groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out into the final cut, crafting an art installation that also serves as a homage to film. 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 installation will evoke some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in prestigious venues. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of work are ready for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since 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

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely received a major show 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*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum will host a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

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 deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture 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 analyzed how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist an innovative creator. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.