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Spanning old masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican film-maker, galleries as well as galleries across the US have some spectacular shows coming up for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, now merely a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s website, this major retrospective of a central creators of the pop art movement carries significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from collections around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: one location will offer a exploration of the city as a source of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of footage that was left out into the final cut, creating an art installation that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest the director dug deep 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 exhibit will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a new collection of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her materials straight from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious art spots. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter 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 the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum will host a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with most of her work, Cheang here investigates the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with visitors invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center will feature new work 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, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. It extends her ongoing project of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.