What’s on now at San Francisco museums, March 2026

San Francisco’s museum landscape is undergoing a significant seasonal shift with several high-profile openings and closings scheduled for Spring 2026. Major highlights include the de Young Museum’s 'Monet and Venice' exhibition, Chiharu Shiota’s debut at the Asian Art Museum, and a major rehang of the Fisher Collection at SFMOMA. However, the scene faces a somber note as the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts has suspended operations due to financial or structural difficulties, prompting calls for city intervention.

Frieze Los Angeles Diary: hockey hotties, roaming Rami and Simon sells

Frieze Los Angeles week kicked off with a flurry of high-profile events, celebrity sightings, and charitable initiatives across the city. Key highlights included the Felix Art Fair, where RF. Alvarez’s painting inspired by the queer hockey drama 'Heated Rivalry' drew significant attention, and a major benefit auction led by Simon de Pury that raised over $500,000 for natural disaster relief. The week also featured a prestigious gathering at a private James Turrell Skyspace to celebrate the Serpentine Americas Foundation.

‘Better every year’: Frieze opens to swift sales for Los Angeles artists

Frieze Los Angeles opened its 2026 edition at the Santa Monica Airport with a strong showing of community spirit and rapid sales during the VIP preview. Following a difficult year marked by local wildfires, the fair has seen a surge in institutional acquisitions and commercial success for both emerging local talent and established international figures. Notable early transactions included a $2.8 million sale of a Njideka Akunyili Crosby work by David Zwirner and a complete sell-out of Erica Mahinay’s paintings at Make Room gallery.

Van Gogh visited Georges Seurat's studio the day he left for Provence

The Courtauld Gallery in London is hosting a major exhibition of Georges Seurat’s work, highlighting the profound influence the Neo-Impressionist leader had on Vincent van Gogh. Historical records reveal that Van Gogh visited Seurat’s studio on February 19, 1888—the very day he departed Paris for Arles—to view masterpieces like 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.' This meeting underscores the deep respect Van Gogh held for Seurat’s scientific approach to color, even as he prepared to embark on his most famous creative period in Provence.

Rose Wylie: The 91-year-old art world rebel in her prime

British painter Rose Wylie is preparing for a landmark solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, making her the first female British painter to receive a solo show in the institution's main galleries. At 91 years old, Wylie continues to work late into the night in her Kent studio, producing large-scale, vibrant canvases that draw inspiration from everyday objects, newspapers, and sports icons. Her work is celebrated for its 'punk' energy and a youthful spontaneity that belies her age.

Rose Wylie: ‘It’s very, very fragile where a painting ends. All the time it sits on a precarious edge’

British artist Rose Wylie is currently the subject of a major career survey at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, titled "The Picture Comes First." At 91 years old, Wylie is the first woman painter to occupy the institution's main galleries, showcasing over 90 works that span her idiosyncratic career. The exhibition highlights her signature style of large-scale, exuberant figurative paintings that draw from a vast range of influences, including cinema, celebrity culture, and art history.

Rose Wylie: The 91-year-old art world rebel in her prime

Rose Wylie, the 91-year-old British painter, is preparing for a landmark solo exhibition in the main galleries of London's Royal Academy, becoming the first female British painter to receive this honor. Her studio in Kent reveals her unconventional, energetic process, working late into the night amidst a creative chaos of paint, newspapers, and her cat, Pete.

8 Standout Shows to See During Frieze Week in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is hosting a surge of high-profile exhibitions to coincide with the arrival of Frieze Los Angeles and its various satellite fairs. The city's gallery and museum circuit is currently anchored by major debuts and surveys, including Leiko Ikemura’s mystical explorations at Lisson Gallery, Sarah Sze’s immersive video and painting installations at Gagosian, and Alejandro García Contreras’s folklore-inspired ceramics at Anat Ebgi.

New York Historical receives gift of 150 works by Indigenous artists

The New York Historical has received a landmark gift of 150 contemporary and historical works by Indigenous artists from Agnes Hsu-Tang, the chair of its board of trustees, and her husband Oscar Tang. The collection features major figures such as Fritz Scholder, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Cara Romero, spanning various media including ceramics and textiles. This acquisition represents the most significant gift of Native art to a New York institution since the founding of the Museum of the American Indian.

Why yellow was Van Gogh's favourite colour

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has launched a new exhibition titled "Yellow: Beyond Van Gogh’s Colour," running until May 17. The show explores Vincent van Gogh’s profound obsession with the color yellow, featuring eight of his works alongside pieces by contemporaries like Paul Gauguin and Aubrey Beardsley. It highlights Van Gogh's technical use of chrome yellow pigments to capture the "high yellow note" of the Provencal sun and the symbolic association of the color with modernity and life-giving energy.

New York Galleries: Openings and Closings (02/16-02/22)

Epstein files reveal Leon Black as a key collector of Van Gogh works

Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case reveal that billionaire investor and former Museum of Modern Art chairman Leon Black was a major private collector of works by Vincent van Gogh. The files detail his ownership of at least five significant Van Gogh pieces, including the painting 'Quarry near Saint-Rémy' and the drawing 'Garden with Flowers,' with a combined value exceeding $95 million by 2016.

Art of Contemporary Africa Opens in San Francisco with Inaugural Exhibition ‘Afropop’

Art of Contemporary Africa (AOCA), described as San Francisco's first Pan-African contemporary art gallery, has opened a permanent space at the Minnesota Street Project. Founded by gallerist Craig Mark and photographer Clint Strydom, it operates as a sister space to The Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg and represents a broad roster of artists from across Africa and its diasporas, including the internationally recognized Dr Esther Mahlangu.

At Mexico City’s Material and Salón Acme fairs, artists find hope in nature

Mexico City Art Week's satellite fairs, Salón Acme and Feria Material, drew large crowds during VIP previews on February 5, with Material reporting its biggest opening-day attendance ever after moving to the expansive Maravilla Studios venue. The fairs feature over 70 exhibitors, with a strong contingent of Mexico City galleries and around half of participating galleries from Latin America. Notable presentations include Rajni Perera's works on paper and sculptures addressing environmental exploitation and colonial control, Gala Berger's hybrid works on amate paper referencing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, and Miguel Harte's enamel and resin pieces depicting nature overwhelmed by synthetic materials.

Renowned Mexican art collection to be managed by Spanish bank

Banco Santander announced on 21 January that it will manage 160 works from the Gelman Collection of 20th-century Mexican art, following a long-term agreement with the Zambrano family, which acquired the collection in 2023. The newly branded Gelman Santander Collection will debut this summer at Faro Santander, the bank's new venue in Cantabria, Spain. The collection, started by Russian-born film producer Jacques Gelman and his wife Natasha, includes major works by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and others, but has been largely out of public view since 2008 amid inheritance disputes. The agreement is complicated by Mexican law, which designates many works as National Artistic Monuments, restricting their permanent export and requiring oversight by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL).

Van Gogh’s ‘triple painting’ revealed by discoveries beneath the surface

Conservators at Rotterdam's Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum have discovered that Vincent van Gogh's painting *Poplars near Nuenen* (1885) conceals two earlier compositions: a moonlit view of a church tower and graveyard from July 1884, and a subsequent reworking in Paris in late 1886 that brightened the autumnal landscape. X-ray imaging revealed the original church scene, which Van Gogh painted over after his father's death. The final version, now restored after four years of conservation, goes on display on 7 February.

Mexico City’s Zona Maco fair continues to draw upbeat crowds and eager buyers

Mexico City's Zona Maco fair is drawing upbeat crowds and eager buyers at the Centro Banamex convention centre, running until 8 February. Despite geopolitical tensions and the addition of Art Basel Qatar to the international calendar, collectors, curators, and museum groups from the Americas and Europe are attending in strong numbers. Galleries such as Sean Kelly Gallery, Proyectos Monclova, Kouri + Corrao, and Palo Gallery report robust sales and deep conversations with visitors, with a notable emphasis on ceramics and materiality in the works on view.

The first Art Basel Qatar heralds a new model for art fairs in the region

Art Basel has launched its first fair in Qatar, adopting a novel format distinct from its other global events. The fair, featuring 87 galleries, requires each to present only one artist and is spread across multiple venues in Doha's Msheireb cultural district, with an open-plan, museum-like layout and special commissioned projects. Artist Wael Shawky serves as artistic director, emphasizing curatorial coherence over commercialism.

Van Gogh and café culture: 'The absinthes and brandies would follow each other in quick succession'

An exhibition titled 'Café Society: Art and Sociability in Belle Epoque Paris' is opening, featuring over 50 paintings that explore the role of cafés in late 19th-century Parisian social and artistic life. The show will travel from the Ordrupgaard museum in Copenhagen to two venues in the United States: the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis and the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha.

8 Must-See Shows of Black Art across the U.S. This Black History Month

Galleries and museums across the United States are presenting a diverse range of exhibitions featuring Black artists during Black History Month. These shows highlight artists working in various mediums, from painting and drawing to installation and tapestry, and are on view in cities including Miami, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Chicago.

Six London Art Exhibitions Opening In February 2026

Six major art exhibitions are opening in London public galleries in February 2026, running through at least May. Highlights include Lucian Freud: Drawing Into Painting at the National Portrait Gallery (12 Feb–4 May), Seurat and the Sea at The Courtauld Gallery (13 Feb–17 May), Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life at the Hayward Gallery (17 Feb–3 May), Beatriz González at the Barbican Art Gallery (25 Feb–10 May), and Tracey Emin at Tate Modern (26 Feb–31 Aug). These shows span modern masters, contemporary installation, and international voices.

Fifteen Standout Exhibitions to Catch This Winter

Boston Art Review (BAR) has published a curated list of fifteen standout exhibitions to visit this winter, highlighting a diverse range of contemporary art shows across Boston and beyond. The selection includes both local gallery presentations and major museum exhibitions, offering readers a guide to the season's most compelling visual art experiences.

What’s on now at San Francisco museums, January 2026

A roundup of current and upcoming exhibitions at San Francisco museums in January 2026 highlights several shows closing soon, including "Manet and Morisot" at the Legion of Honor and "Suzanne Jackson: What is Love" at SFMOMA, both ending March 1. New exhibitions opening include "The art of Cece Carpio" at SOMArts on Jan. 30, and "Trina Michelle Robinson: Open Your Eyes to Water" at 500 Capp Street and Root Division in February. The de Young Museum features "Boom and Bust: Photographing Northern California" and artist Rose B. Simpson's show "LEXICON," part of the newly opened galleries dedicated to Arts of Indigenous America. The Museum of the African Diaspora presents "Unbound: Art, Blackness and the Universe" and "Continuum: MoAD Over Time," while the Asian Art Museum hosts "Jitish Kallat: Covering Letter (Terranum Nuncius)."

FOG Design + Art Delivers Strong Sales and Institutional Momentum in San Francisco

FOG Design + Art opened its 2026 edition on January 21 with a gala benefit for SFMOMA's education initiatives, drawing strong attendance and sales. The fair, which blends contemporary art and collectible design, featured 85 works acquired by SFMOMA, including pieces by Ruth Asawa, Michael Armitage, Firelei Báez, Dorothea Lange, Gabriel Orozco, and Indigenous artists such as Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Kay WalkingStick. Galleries like Wendi Norris presented ambitious, institution-worthy works, with a focus on visionary artists and the intersection of art, science, and spirituality.

Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers

The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation has announced an exhibition titled "Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers." The show will feature the work of contemporary artist Rashid Johnson, known for his multidisciplinary practice encompassing sculpture, painting, photography, and installation.

Must-see New York City museum openings and exhibitions in 2026

The article previews major New York City museum exhibitions opening in 2026, including a Carol Bove survey at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (March 5–August 2), the first U.S. Marcel Duchamp retrospective since 1973 at the Museum of Modern Art, the New Museum's inaugural show in its OMA-designed expansion titled "New Humans: Memories of the Future," and a Goya exhibition at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States. Each show highlights significant artistic milestones, from Bove's scrap-metal sculptures to Duchamp's readymades and Goya's war commentaries.

Van Gogh shows in 2026: America, Japan and the Netherlands

A wave of Van Gogh exhibitions is scheduled for 2026 across the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands. Highlights include "Van Gogh’s Sunflowers: A Symphony in Blue and Yellow" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (June–October 2026), featuring a rare loan of London's National Gallery version alongside Philadelphia's own. Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum will present "Yellow: Beyond Van Gogh’s Colour" (February–May 2026), while the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo will display all 88 Van Gogh paintings for the first time since 1984 in "Van Gogh, All Our Paintings" (September 2026–January 2027). In Japan, the Kröller-Müller's "The Grand Van Gogh Exhibition" tours Kobe, Fukushima, and Tokyo, and the Van Gogh Museum's "Van Gogh’s Home" is at Nagoya's Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art. Smaller shows take place at the Van Gogh House in Zundert, the Maison du Dr Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise, and the Foundation Vincent van Gogh Arles.

New York Galleries: Openings and Closings of the Week (01/05—01/11)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art to Present First Museum Survey of Lorna Simpson’s Paintings

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will present "Lorna Simpson: Source Notes" from May 19 to November 2, 2025, the first museum survey dedicated entirely to the New York-based artist's painting practice. Featuring over 30 works, the exhibition traces Simpson's shift from conceptual photography to paintings that explore gender, race, identity, and history, including pieces from her 2015 Venice Biennale debut and her "Special Characters" series, alongside recent sculptures and collages. The show is funded by the Ford Foundation and supported by Jim and Irene Karp and John and Amy Griffin.

Observer’s 2025 Art Market Recap: Recovery After a Year of Recalibration

After a turbulent start marked by gallery closures and market contraction, the art market in 2025 rebounded decisively, driven by a secondary-market surge in high-quality consignments. Major auction houses reported strong year-end results: Sotheby's projects $7 billion in consolidated sales (up 17%), Christie's expects $6.2 billion (up 7%), and Phillips reported $927 million (up 10%). Key sales included the $272 million Leonard & Louise Riggio collection at Christie's, the $527.5 million Lauder collection at Sotheby's (led by a $236.4 million Gustav Klimt), and the $136 million Karpidas sales. The year began quietly but gained momentum after summer, with deep bidding and strategic pricing driving a 26% increase in Sotheby's auction revenue and an 11% overall rise in fine art sales across Old Masters, Impressionist, Modern, Post-War and Contemporary categories.