🔗 Share this article

Spanning old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American film-maker, galleries and galleries across the US have a series of dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City with two linked shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing some 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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 a million feet of film that was left out of the final cut, crafting an art installation that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her early works and moving all the way up to a new series of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus 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

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom received a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s queer art museum will host a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with visitors invited to play around with the four moveable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases recent creations 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 intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. 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: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.