Four major retrospective exhibitions are opening around the world in late 2025 and early 2026, celebrating the work of Robert Rauschenberg, Wes Anderson, Vivienne Westwood, Rei Kawakubo, and Wifredo Lam. At M+ in Hong Kong, "Robert Rauschenberg and Asia" explores the artist's collaborations with artisans in India, China, and Japan. The Design Museum in London presents "Wes Anderson: The Archives," featuring over 600 items from his film sets. The Museum of Modern Art in New York hosts "Wilfredo Lam: When I Don't Sleep, I Dream," the most extensive US retrospective of the Cuban-born artist. A creative conversation between designers Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo is also highlighted.
These exhibitions matter because they underscore the enduring global influence of artists and designers who have shaped visual culture across mediums and continents. By showcasing Rauschenberg's cross-cultural exchanges, Anderson's meticulous cinematic worlds, and Lam's mixed-heritage perspective, the shows reflect a growing institutional focus on transnational narratives and interdisciplinary creativity. They also offer audiences rare access to archival materials and large-scale retrospectives that contextualize each figure's legacy within broader art historical and social movements.