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Spanning old masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions across the US have a series of dazzling shows on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held holdings of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on Venice through two interconnected shows: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of footage that never made it into the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a love letter to film. Reportedly the director delved into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will instil a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a new series of pieces made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components directly from the urban landscape, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of work are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is 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, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely received a major show on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive piece, with audience members 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 will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. The show highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation 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 shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges 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 architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.