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Spanning Renaissance masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American film-maker, galleries as well as galleries throughout the United States have a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now just a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on the Floating City with two linked exhibitions: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought 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 met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that never made it of the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly the director delved into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a new collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. Having had major shows at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of work are ripe for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those who know a certain publication *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 combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus around 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

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 seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation is designed as a very engaging piece, with visitors encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases 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 deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of using found items as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

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

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art 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 with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.