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Spanning Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as institutions throughout the United States have a series of spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with significant anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will be centering the Floating City with two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing approximately 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of footage that never made it of the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh collection of works made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With major shows in the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her three decades of work are ripe for a in-depth survey. 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 cut-out *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and more than 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. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members encouraged to interact 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 showcases new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. It extends her ongoing project 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 west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.