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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican director, art museums and institutions throughout the US have a series of spectacular shows on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its long-held holdings of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two linked shows: one location will offer a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of footage that was left out of the final cut, creating an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculptor creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a new collection of pieces fashioned from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had major shows at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of work are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a volume 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 acquired the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum will host 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 in this piece investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases 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 deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.