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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Mexican director, galleries and institutions across the US are preparing a series of spectacular shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens loans from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will be centering the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a exploration 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 was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out of the released movie, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest the director dug deep into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a new series of works made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components straight from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious venues. Having had major shows in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ripe for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *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, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – 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. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents 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 in this piece investigates the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice 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 foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates 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. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.