The Most Exciting American Art Exhibitions Coming in 2026

From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Mexican director, art museums as well as institutions throughout the US are preparing a series of dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s website, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous loans from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and another, will be centering Venice with two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a exploration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately 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 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of footage that never made it into the released movie, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will instil a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a new series of works fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, her three decades of work are ready for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works 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 – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

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

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.