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From Renaissance masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as galleries throughout the United States are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old collection of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will be centering Venice with two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, producing approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of footage that never made it of the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the exhibit will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculptor creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and moving through to a fresh collection of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials directly from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ready for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *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 will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. 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 in all, 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 presents a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.