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Spanning old masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Mexican director, galleries and galleries across the United States are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions coming up for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now just a mostly empty page at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant expectations. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on Venice with two interconnected shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, producing approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of footage that never made it into the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a homage to film. Reportedly 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 installation will evoke some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a new collection of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her components directly from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions in the MoMA and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ripe for a in-depth 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 actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

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 the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces 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 major event. 29 March–28 June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations 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 recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.