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Spanning Renaissance masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a major Latin American director, galleries as well as institutions throughout the United States have some spectacular shows coming up for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old collection of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens loans from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and another, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – 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.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of film that was left out into the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a fresh collection of pieces made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials straight from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone familiar with 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 published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely received 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 masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, with visitors encouraged to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center 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 recognized for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.