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From old masters to pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as galleries across the United States have some dazzling exhibitions coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now just a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on Venice through two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of film that was left out into the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the exhibit will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and moving through to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her components directly from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of work are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely received a major show on American soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a major event. Late March through 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 director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging experience, with visitors invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center will feature new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation 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 Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.