From Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Mexican director, art museums and institutions across the US are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.
Announced several years ago in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.
San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will be centering Venice through two linked exhibitions: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, while the other will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, producing some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.
Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over a million feet of film that never made it into the released movie, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.
A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and progressing through to a fresh series of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious venues. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of work are ready for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.
Anyone who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus around 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.
Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.
NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members encouraged to interact with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.
The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, queer-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. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.
Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.
In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.
Elara is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and entrepreneurship.
