Two new winter exhibitions open February 11, 2026 at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University: “Photorealism in Focus” and “Yinka Shonibare: Sanctuary.” The first brings together pioneering Photorealists like Richard Estes, Charles S. Bell, Audrey Flack, and Ralph Goings alongside contemporary artists, exploring the blurred line between painting and photography. The second features the U.S. debut of Yinka Shonibare’s installation “Sanctuary City” (2024), comprising 18 illuminated miniature buildings that served as historical refuges, lined with the artist’s signature Dutch wax textiles. Both shows are curated by Gannit Akori, the museum’s director and chief curator.
These exhibitions matter because they address timely themes—photorealism’s enduring relevance in an image-saturated age, and the urgent political and humanitarian question of sanctuary amid global displacement and rising nationalism. By pairing a technical art-historical movement with a socially engaged installation, the Rose Art Museum continues its tradition of forward-thinking contemporary programming at a leading university museum, prompting critical reflection on perception, memory, and who deserves safety.