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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Latin American director, galleries as well as galleries throughout the United States have some spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on Venice through two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of footage that never made it into the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Reportedly the director 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. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a new series of works fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components straight from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. 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 is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

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

A New York queer art museum will host a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation is designed as a highly interactive experience, with visitors invited to interact with the four moveable screens that display the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her ongoing project of using reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist 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, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.