11 Must-See Museum Exhibitions in 2026

Artsy has published a list of 11 must-see museum exhibitions scheduled for 2026, highlighting major retrospectives and biennials. The article opens by reflecting on 2025's trend of amplifying marginalized voices, citing exhibitions like "Paris Noir" at the Centre Pompidou and the Turner Prize win of neurodivergent artist Nnena Kalu. For 2026, the piece notes a shift toward large-scale retrospectives of established figures, including Tracey Emin's "A Second Life" at Tate Modern and "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, alongside major biennials such as the 61st Venice Biennale, the 18th Lyon Biennale, and the 16th Gwangju Biennale.

8 Must-See Solo Gallery Shows in January

Galerie magazine has curated a list of eight must-see solo gallery shows across the United States for January, highlighting exhibitions from coast to coast. Featured artists include Jeff Koons at Gagosian in New York, where he presents monumental stainless-steel sculptures of gods and goddesses alongside layered paintings, and Giorgio Griffa at Casey Kaplan, whose survey "Consistently Through Variation" spans five decades of his process-driven work. Other notable shows include Julian Schnabel at Mnuchin Gallery and Marisol at Matthew Marks Gallery in Los Angeles.

Art market 2026 predictions: underwhelming rebound and another Frieze fair

The article presents five predictions for the art market in 2026, following a relatively improved but still cautious end to 2025. Key forecasts include a subdued market rebound, a shift toward smaller and cheaper artworks, the continued expansion of Frieze fairs (possibly into India), a consolidating Art Basel, and a resurgence of London's art-world clout. The predictions are informed by trends such as declining demand for art as investment, gallery closures and geographic pruning, and the thematic direction of the 2026 Venice Biennale, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh under the title "In Minor Keys."

London Art Exhibitions 2026 An Artlyst Month by Month Guide

Artlyst has published a comprehensive month-by-month guide to art exhibitions opening in London throughout 2026. Highlights include solo shows by Lucian Freud, David Hockney, and Anish Kapoor; surveys of women artists such as Tracey Emin, Frida Kahlo, Rose Wylie, Cecily Brown, and Chiharu Shiota; and historical exhibitions featuring Stubbs, Whistler, and Renoir. The guide also covers the opening of the new V&A East, a major samurai exhibition at the British Museum, a Freud drawing show at the National Portrait Gallery, an Aardman animation exhibition at Young V&A, a Lynda Benglis and Giacometti encounter at the Barbican Centre, and a Seurat seascape exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery.

20 Must-See Monographic Museum Exhibitions Feature Artists Allan Rohan Crite, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Jackson, Woody De Othello, Theaster Gates & More

Fall 2025 brings a wave of major monographic museum exhibitions worldwide, featuring artists such as Allan Rohan Crite, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Jackson, Woody De Othello, and Theaster Gates. Highlights include the first mainstream museum shows for Crite in his hometown of Boston, the first solo museum exhibition for Gates in Chicago, and the first U.S. retrospective for Lam at MoMA. Other notable shows include surveys of Robert Colescott, Coco Fusco, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence, and Cauleen Smith, spanning institutions from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town.

8 Must-See Solo Gallery Shows in December

Galerie magazine has curated a list of eight must-see solo gallery shows across the United States for December, highlighting exhibitions from New York to Los Angeles. Featured artists include Alex Da Corte, whose show at Matthew Marks Gallery presents 11 new sculptures in a narrative setting, including life-size self-portraits as the Pink Panther and Popeye; and Sylvia Snowden, whose exhibition "On the Verge" at White Cube in New York showcases 20 paintings from her career, exploring human struggles and joys through textured impasto works. Other notable shows include Marilyn Minter's portraits of celebrities at Regen Projects in Los Angeles.

City Gallery back with a bang

City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi has announced a major retrospective of British artist Cornelia Parker, set to open on 10 October 2026 and run through 7 March 2027. The exhibition, which director Charlotte Davy describes as a lifelong ambition, will feature Parker's large-scale immersive installations known for themes of destruction, reconstruction, and transformation—including works that involve exploded and suspended objects. The show follows the gallery's history of presenting landmark exhibitions by female artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Cindy Sherman, and Hilma af Klint. The exhibition is curated by City Gallery Wellington's Senior Curator Aaron Lister and UK-based Andrea Schlieker, former Director of Exhibitions and Displays at Tate Britain and Director at White Cube London.

Mon oncle d’Amérique

Art Basel Paris officially opened on October 22, 2024, with a new VIP tier called 'Avant-Première' granting early access to favored collectors. The fair saw a shift in mood from socializing to business-focused transactions, with multimillion-dollar works on offer, including a Gerhard Richter painting reportedly sold for over $20 million by Hauser & Wirth. Pre-fair events included dinners hosted by Marian Goodman for artist Paul Sietsema, gallery openings at Salon 94's new Palais-Royal space, and a VIP evening at the Musée d'Orsay for a Bridget Riley exhibition. American galleries and collectors dominated the week's parties, with events by David Zwirner, Gladstone, and others.

Why St. Louis Is A World-Class Art Destination

The Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) is presenting "Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea," a landmark exhibition featuring new, large-scale paintings and sculptures by the renowned German artist. The works, including 30-foot-tall paintings like "Missouri, Mississippi" (2024) and "Lumpeguin, Cigwe, Animiki" (2025), were created specifically for SLAM's soaring Sculpture Hall after Kiefer revisited St. Louis in 2023. The exhibition draws on Kiefer's 1991 visit to the city, where he was deeply impressed by the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and brings together themes of rivers, borders, memory, and cultural metaphor.

Discover 10 Highlights from Art Basel Paris 2025

Art Basel Paris 2025, now in its fourth edition, took place from October 22–26 at the restored 1900 Paris Exposition venue, a Beaux-Arts landmark with Art Nouveau iron and glasswork. The fair hosted 206 international galleries and introduced a new 'Avant-Première' V.V.I.P. day on October 21, where each gallery could allocate six guest passes. Blue-chip sales were swift, led by Hauser & Wirth selling Gerhard Richter's *Abstraktes Bild* (1987) for $23 million to a European collector. Other notable sales included Bruce Nauman's neon sculpture *Masturbating Man* for over $4.7 million and Amedeo Modigliani's *Jeune fille aux macarons* (1918) for $10 million at Pace Gallery. The fair also featured curatorial sectors Emergence (16 solo presentations by emerging artists) and Premise (ten historical projects with works predating 1900).

The must-see exhibitions during Art Basel Paris

Numéro magazine lists the must-see exhibitions during Art Basel Paris art week. Highlights include a major minimal art exhibition at the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection featuring Sol LeWitt, Agnes Martin, and Lygia Pape; a historic Gerhard Richter retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton with nearly 300 works; the Fondation Cartier's new space near the Louvre designed by Jean Nouvel, showcasing artists like Ron Mueck and Junya Ishigami; and a carte blanche exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo curated by Naomi Beckwith exploring the influence of French theory on American art.

Ascendant Art Basel Paris rewards top dealers, while smaller galleries compete for attention

Art Basel Paris has rewarded top dealers with significant sales during its new VVIP preview slot, Avant-Première, held on October 21. Hauser & Wirth led with over $30 million in sales, including Gerhard Richter's "Abstrakte Bild" (1987) for $23 million, while David Zwirner sold a Ruth Asawa sculpture for $7.5 million. Goodman Gallery sold two works by William Kentridge to museums, and White Cube placed Julie Mehretu's "Charioteer" (2007) for $11 million. However, some dealers like Philomene Magers found the opening too crowded, and adviser Aileen Agopian noted the market remains far from the frenzy of previous years, with no single sale surpassing the $40 million Mark Rothko painting brought by Pace two years ago.

The Art Insider's Guide To Frieze London

Sophia Penske, founder of Penske Projects and art advisor at Gagosian Art Advisory, presents an insider guide to Frieze London week (October 13, 2025). The article highlights key gallery exhibitions including Ed Ruscha's new linen paintings at Gagosian Davies Street, El Anatsui's wooden sculptures at Goodman Gallery, Danielle Fretwell's still lifes at Alice Amati, Victor Man's dreamlike works at David Zwirner, Danny Fox's colorful paintings at Hannah Barry, and Lenz Geerk's portraits at Massimo De Carlo. It also previews museum shows like Kerry James Marshall's "The Histories" at the Royal Academy of Arts and mentions satellite fairs and auction previews.

10 Must-See Shows during Frieze London 2025

Frieze London 2025 has arrived, bringing with it a sprawling public sculpture exhibition and two art-packed tents in Regent's Park, including the historically focused Frieze Masters. Alongside the main fair, London's galleries are hosting a mix of shows ranging from established favorites to emerging talents, with many exhibitions featuring ambitious sculptural works made from unconventional materials like furniture and driftwood. Notable highlights include Sonia Gomes and Kudzanai-Violet Hwami showing bronze sculptures for the first time, Cai Guo-Qiang's controversial gunpowder canvases at White Cube, and Danielle Fretwell's sumptuous oil paintings at Alice Amati. Artsy has curated a list of 10 must-see gallery exhibitions taking place during the fair.

Evelyn Lin to Lead Sotheby’s Asia Modern and Contemporary Art, After Pace Hong Kong Shutters

Evelyn Lin is returning to Sotheby’s as chairman of Modern and contemporary art, Asia, starting November 3, after a one-year stint at Pace gallery. She will help lead the inaugural marquee sale at Sotheby’s new global headquarters in New York’s Breuer Building. The appointment follows the departure of Elaine Holt and the closure of Pace’s Hong Kong space, which will not renew its lease at H Queen’s after its current exhibition closes on October 18.

Phillips' Priority Bidding drives 100% sell-through at Hong Kong evening sale, totalling US$20.5m

Phillips achieved a 100% sell-through rate at its Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Hong Kong on 27 September, totaling nearly HK$160 million (US$20.5 million). All 20 lots sold, with six works exceeding HK$10 million. The top lot was Yoshitomo Nara's *Pinky* (2000), which sold for HK$56.64 million (US$7.2 million) after its estimate was lowered from HK$60–80 million to HK$35–55 million. The sale was the first major test of Phillips' new Priority Bidding (PB) system, which offers a reduced buyer's premium to collectors who place written bids at or above the low estimate at least 48 hours before the auction. Seven lots were withdrawn and several estimates revised downward ahead of the sale, contributing to the white-glove result.

Hyperallergic Fall 2025 New York Art Guide

Hyperallergic has published its comprehensive Fall 2025 New York Art Guide, recommending over 80 exhibitions across all five boroughs. Major highlights include the reopening of the Studio Museum in Harlem after a seven-year renovation, the debut of the new New Museum on the Bowery, and multiple exhibitions marking the 100th anniversary of Robert Rauschenberg's birth at the Guggenheim and the Museum of the City of New York. The guide also features shows by Monet at the Brooklyn Museum, Renoir at the Morgan, and Ruth Asawa and Wifredo Lam at MoMA, along with public art installations by Mika Rottenberg and Lady Pink on the High Line and MoMA PS1 facade.

How 'Shōgun' Became Takashi Murakami’s Latest Pop Culture Muse

Takashi Murakami is having a landmark year, with a solo exhibition at Gagosian London, a Major League Baseball collaboration, and the reissue of his Louis Vuitton line with Marc Jacobs. His largest U.S. exhibition in two decades, "Stepping on the Tail of the Rainbow," opened at the Cleveland Museum of Art, featuring over 100 works. The show's centerpiece is an architectural collaboration inspired by the TV series "Shōgun," recreating the Yumedono (Dream Hall) from Hōryūji Temple, developed with the show's creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks.

Frieze and NADA New York’s Early Sales Signal Buyer Confidence

Frieze New York opened its VIP preview on May 7, with early sales indicating cautious but steady buyer confidence amid economic uncertainty and the recent acquisition of the fair by Endeavor's former CEO Ari Emanuel. American buyers dominated, while Asian and European collectors were largely absent. Mega-galleries like Gagosian and Pace reported significant sales, including Jeff Koons's Hulk Elvis sculptures and works by Adam Pendleton and Lynda Benglis, though the atmosphere was more subdued and negotiation-friendly than in previous years.

Frieze VIP day defined by dealers’ resilience

Frieze New York's VIP opening on Wednesday saw strong attendance despite economic uncertainty following President Donald Trump's April 2 tariff announcement, which caused stock market volatility. Gallerists reported early sales driven by institutional buyers, with works by Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Rashid Johnson, Lorna Simpson, Claire Tabouret, and WangShui finding homes at museums including the Moderna Museet, Dallas Museum of Art, and Heredium Museum. Notable sales included Jeff Koons's Hulk (Tubas) for over $3 million at Gagosian and a solo stand sellout for Claire Tabouret at Perrotin.

14 best galleries in NYC to visit

This article lists 14 of the best art galleries to visit in New York City, highlighting major commercial spaces such as Hauser & Wirth, Gagosian Gallery, David Zwirner, Gladstone Gallery, Greene Naftali, Cavin-Morris Gallery, and Neue Galerie. It describes each gallery's location, specialty, and notable represented artists, from blue-chip contemporary stars to historical figures and self-taught visionaries.

National Portrait Gallery

The article is a placeholder or stub for the National Portrait Gallery, likely referencing a news item or update about the institution. It includes a subscription prompt for The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter and standard footer information, but no substantive content about events, exhibitions, or developments at the gallery.

‘I can use it, I can abuse it’: Tony Albert spent decades collecting racist ‘Aboriginalia’. Now he wants to turn yours into art

Tony Albert, a 45-year-old artist of Girramay, Yidinji, and Kuku-Yalanji heritage, has spent decades collecting thousands of objects he terms 'Aboriginalia'—kitsch, caricatured, and often racist depictions of Aboriginal people created by non-Indigenous Australians. His solo exhibition 'Not a Souvenir' opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney on 21 May, showcasing over 3,000 items from his collection alongside transformed artworks. The MCA is inviting the public to donate additional Aboriginalia items to Albert's collection, which is housed in his Brisbane studio.

V&A East Storehouse and Norwich Castle among finalists for museum of the year

The Art Fund has announced the five finalists for the 2025 Museum of the Year award, the UK's most prestigious museum prize. The shortlist features major institutions that have recently completed significant expansions or refurbishments, including the V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, the National Gallery in London, The Box in Plymouth, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. The winner, to be announced on June 25, will receive £120,000, while the other finalists will each receive £20,000.

hazel knapp

Hazel Knapp, a self-taught artist with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, painted Vermont landscapes from her wheelchair between the 1930s and 1940s, often with her mother Elsie by her side describing the terrain. Knapp exhibited at the 1939 Museum of Modern Art show alongside Grandma Moses and Morris Hirshfield, was profiled in Sidney Janis's book *They Taught Themselves*, and sold ten paintings to Gertrude Stein, who planned an unrealized Paris exhibition. Despite this promising start, Knapp fell into obscurity after her mother's death.

claes oldeburg yale lipstick sculpture vandalized

Claes Oldenburg's 1969 sculpture *Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks* was vandalized in October when the letters "ATB" were etched into its metal base. Yale University is relocating the 24-foot-tall work from the Morse College courtyard to the Yale University Art Gallery for conservation and care, following the discovery of the defacement. The sculpture, a beloved campus landmark originally installed in Beinecke Plaza, has a history of being removed and restored due to weather damage and graffiti.

The Night of Records at Christie’s in New York. Here’s How the Mega Art Auction of More Than a Billion Dollars Went

La notte dei record di Christie’s a New York. Ecco com’è andata la mega asta d’arte da più di un miliardo di dollari

On May 18, 2026, Christie’s in New York held a landmark evening auction that surpassed $1.1 billion in total sales, driven by two sessions: Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse and a sale of 20th-century art. The Newhouse collection alone brought in $631 million, making it the second most valuable collection ever sold at auction, behind Paul Allen’s $1.7 billion sale in 2022. Record prices were set for Jackson Pollock’s Number 7A, 1948, which sold for $181.2 million, and Constantin Brancusi’s Danaïde (1913), which fetched $107.6 million, a record for a sculpture at auction. Other artists achieving strong results included Mark Rothko, Joan Miró, and Alice Neel.

Fair Week in NYC!

New York City is hosting a packed week of art fairs in May 2025, including Frieze at The Shed, Independent Art Fair at Pier 36, TEFAF New York at the Park Avenue Armory, and NADA New York at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. The fairs feature hundreds of international galleries, with Frieze emphasizing Central and South American exhibitors, Independent exploring a dystopian theme, TEFAF offering antiquities and fine art, and NADA celebrating its 12th edition with 121 galleries. The article also notes recent major exhibitions at the New Museum, Whitney Biennial, MoMA PS1, The Met, and MoMA, and includes a guide to Upstate New York art destinations.

Behind every great artist... there is a great gallery. A look at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Dietro ogni grande artista… c’è una grande galleria. Un punto sulla Biennale Arte 2026

The 61st Venice Biennale, titled "In Minor Keys" (May 9 – November 22, 2026), features over 90% living artists, a significant shift from recent editions focused on historical rediscoveries. Curated by the late Koyo Kouoh (1967–2025), the first African woman to lead the Biennale, the exhibition includes 111 artists, with a majority of women (64 vs. 48 men) and the highest percentage of African-born artists ever (20%). Notable participants include Nick Cave, Carsten Höller, Alfredo Jaar, and Kader Attia, with a focus on mid-career and established figures rather than emerging or deceased artists.

The US Pavilion Wants Your Money

The American Arts Conservancy, a new nonprofit with MAGA-aligned leadership, is fundraising for Alma Allen's 2026 US Pavilion at the Venice Biennale through a "Donate" button on its website, having received no institutional financial support. Meanwhile, a sculpture by Pedro Reyes at the newly unveiled LACMA building has sparked controversy for recalling a 2021 commission rejected by Mexico City after Indigenous and feminist protests, and the experimental LA nonprofit The Box has closed after 19 years.