🔗 Share this article

From old masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Latin American film-maker, art museums and institutions across the US have some dazzling exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s website, this major retrospective of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its long-held holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of footage that never made it of the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh collection of works made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious art spots. With major shows in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of work are ripe for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

Anyone who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – 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 late stage flowering 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 US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the core footage. 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 discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.