🔗 Share this article Unmissable US Gallery Shows Arriving in 2026 From old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries and even a renowned Latin American director, art museums as well as institutions throughout the United States are preparing some spectacular shows coming up for 2026. Roy Lichtenstein Announced all the way back in 2023, now just a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s website, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026. Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on Venice with two linked exhibitions: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July. Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection A visual from the artistic project. Courtesy: Artist's Archive Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over a million feet of film that was left out of the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a homage to film. 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 installation will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July. Carol Bove A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing all the way up to a new series of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her materials directly from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of work are ready for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August. Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper Henri Matisse - *Horse, Rider, and Clown* from *Jazz*, 1947. Credit: Example Archive Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer. Raphael: Sublime Poetry The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June. Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision An artistic creation by the artist. Credit: Example Photographer A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive experience, with audience members invited to interact with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 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 after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027. Taking Back Our Space Study from the artist's influential project. Courtesy: Example Museum Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027. And more … In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.