🔗 Share this article

Spanning old masters to pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a major Mexican director, galleries as well as galleries throughout the US are preparing a series of spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its long-held holdings of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous loans from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with another, will focus on the Floating City with two interconnected shows: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing 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 quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of film that was left out of the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a love letter to film. Reportedly the director dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and progressing through to a new collection of pieces made from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes 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. Having had significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since 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: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of trans life. The installation is designed as a highly interactive experience, with visitors invited to interact with the four moveable screens that show 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 transforming discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.