From old masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries across the US have some spectacular shows coming up for 2026.
Roy Lichtenstein
Announced several years ago in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries significant expectations. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.
Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet
San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City with two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 paintings, including the masterpiece *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 over 1m ft of film that was left out of the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.
The Sculptural World of Carol Bove
The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a new collection of pieces made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had major shows at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.
Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color
Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.
Raphael: Sublime Poetry
The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.
Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision
NYC’s queer art museum will host a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of trans life. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, 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 compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights new work based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her ongoing project of using reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.
Taking Back Our Space
Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.
And more …
In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.
