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Spanning Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as galleries across the United States have some dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, now just a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will be centering Venice through two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of film that was left out into the final cut, creating an art installation that also serves as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke 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 is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing all the way up to a new series of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had major shows in the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her three decades of work are ripe for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

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 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 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

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

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

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with most of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive piece, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this exhibition investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti 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, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.