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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, galleries as well as institutions across the United States have a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, now merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its long-held collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will be centering Venice through two interconnected shows: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of footage that never made it of the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest the director dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her materials directly from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions 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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American 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 loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker 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 very engaging experience, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature 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 known for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 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 socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.