🔗 Share this article

From Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a renowned Mexican director, galleries and galleries across the United States are preparing some spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 works 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 along with deYoung, will focus on Venice with two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing approximately 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out of the released movie, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a new collection of pieces made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of work are ready for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those 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 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus around 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a major show on American soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging experience, with visitors invited to interact with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges 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. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.