From old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican director, galleries and institutions across the US have some dazzling shows coming up in 2026.
Roy Lichtenstein
Announced all the way back in 2023, now merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's website, this major retrospective of a central creators of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous loans from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.
Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice
San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will focus on Venice through two interconnected shows: the former museum will offer a exploration of the city as a source of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.
Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that never made it of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a homage to film. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he called “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 hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.
The Sculptural World of Carol Bove
A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving through to a new series of pieces made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her materials straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of creation are ripe for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.
Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper
Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.
Raphael: Master of the Renaissance
The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.
Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love
NYC’s queer art museum presents a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the daily struggles of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.
Leilah Babirye
The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.
Taking Back Our Space
Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.
Additional Highlights for 2026
In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.
