🔗 Share this article

From old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American film-maker, art museums and galleries throughout the United States have some dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum will be drawing on its long-held holdings of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on Venice with two linked exhibitions: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, 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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that was left out of the released movie, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Accounts suggest the director dug deep into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” 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 hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculptor creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a new series of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of work are ripe for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 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 prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom been honored with a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

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

A New York queer art museum presents a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, 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 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 recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her ongoing project of using 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 pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.