🔗 Share this article

Spanning old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a renowned Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as institutions across the US have a series of dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City with two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of film that never made it into the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a love letter to film. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and progressing through to a new collection of works fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her materials 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, Bove’s three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *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, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, 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 major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of trans life. The installation is designed as a highly interactive piece, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases 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 deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.