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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, galleries as well as institutions across the US are preparing a series of dazzling exhibitions coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, now just a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries significant expectations. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and another, will be centering the Floating City through two linked shows: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what the 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 met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that was left out into the final cut, crafting an art installation that doubles as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly the director dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a new series of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components directly from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely received a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s queer art museum will host a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.