Art enthusiasts across the United States have a unique opportunity to explore groundbreaking exhibitions this spring, featuring a diverse range of artists from the Italian Renaissance master Raphael to contemporary American sculptors and photographers. Major institutions in cities like New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles are hosting significant shows, many of which are first-time comprehensive surveys or feature previously unseen works.
Key Takeaways
- Philadelphia hosts the final stop of the Noah Davis survey, showcasing his dreamlike paintings and community work.
- New York's SculptureCenter features Pat Oleszko's first solo institutional show in over 35 years, highlighting her political inflatable sculptures.
- The Guggenheim Museum presents Carol Bove's first museum survey, tracing her 25-year sculptural development.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens the first comprehensive U.S. exhibition on Raphael, with over 200 works.
- Chicago's Art Institute explores the unique photography of the late Lucas Samaras, focusing on his Polaroid works.
Noah Davis Retrospective Concludes in Philadelphia
The acclaimed survey of the late Los Angeles-based artist Noah Davis is making its final stop at the Philadelphia Art Museum. This exhibition, running from January 24 to April 26, offers a last chance for audiences to engage with the artist's impactful legacy. Davis, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 32, left behind a significant body of work that continues to resonate with critics and viewers alike.
The show highlights Davis's arresting, dreamlike paintings. These works often depict intimate scenes and explore themes of identity, memory, and the African American experience. Beyond his painting, the exhibition also delves into his vital contributions to curating and community-building, particularly through his involvement with the Underground Museum in Los Angeles.
"Davis's work has a quiet power, drawing you into narratives that are both personal and universally human," a museum representative stated.
Artist Spotlight: Noah Davis
- Born: 1975
- Died: 2015 (aged 32)
- Hometown: Los Angeles
- Known for: Dreamlike paintings, co-founding the Underground Museum
New York Showcases Iconic and Emerging Talents
New York City is a hub for diverse artistic expressions this season. The SculptureCenter is hosting "Pat Oleszko: Fool Disclosure," the cult-figure artist's first solo exhibition in a New York institution in over 35 years. Opening on January 29 and continuing until April 27, the show celebrates Oleszko's humorous and politically charged performances and videos, which often utilize inflatable sculptures.
One notable work on display is Yupasaurus, created in 1980. This monstrous dinosaur sculpture serves as a satirical commentary on aggressive real estate development in New York, embodying the artist's keen social observations.
Carol Bove's Sculptural Evolution at the Guggenheim
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum will open the first museum survey of beloved sculptor Carol Bove on March 5, running through August 2. The exhibition spans 25 years of her artistic development, from early drawings to a new monumental series constructed from steel tubing. Bove is renowned for her distinctive use of scrap metal, transforming industrial materials into elegant and thought-provoking forms.
The museum notes that Bove will also "orchestrate a series of design interventions that subtly inflect the experience of navigating Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic rotunda." This promises an immersive and unique viewing experience within the museum's famous architecture.
The Whitney Biennial 2026
The Whitney Museum of American Art will open its highly anticipated Whitney Biennial on March 8. Curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, this iteration features 56 artists and collectives, offering a critical look at the current state of American art. A highlight includes a rare mother-daughter presentation by institutional critique artist Andrea Fraser and her 92-year-old painter mother, Carmen de Monteflores.
Raphael's Masterworks Arrive at The Met
A truly historic event in the American art scene, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" starting March 29 and concluding June 28. This marks the first comprehensive exhibition on the storied Italian Renaissance artist ever held in the United States. The show brings together more than 200 works, offering an unparalleled opportunity to delve into Raphael's genius.
The exhibition pays particular attention to Raphael’s portrayal of women. Historically, he stands out as the first Western artist to incorporate nude female models into his work, a revolutionary approach for his time that profoundly influenced subsequent generations of artists.
Midwest and West Coast Exhibitions Offer Diverse Perspectives
In Chicago, the Art Institute presents "Lucas Samaras: Sitting, Standing, Walking, Looking" from January 29 to July 20. This exhibition aims to capture the breadth of the late American artist's unique oeuvre, with a specific focus on his photographic work, especially his innovative use of Polaroids. Samaras, who passed away in 2024, consistently challenged artistic conventions.
The show includes sculptures and paintings recently donated to the museum by the Greek-born artist's estate, providing a deeper understanding of his multifaceted career.
Ming Smith and Bruce Conner on the West Coast
The Portland Museum of Art features "Ming Smith: Jazz Requiem – Notations in Blue" from February 6 to June 7. This exhibition explores how the celebrated photographer's travels through Europe in the 1970s and 1980s shaped her elusive and poignant depictions of Black life. Many of the works on display are from Smith's early career and have never been printed before now, offering fresh insights into her formative period.
In Los Angeles, the Marciano Art Foundation presents "Bruce Conner / Recording Angel," from February 21 to July 25. This rare opportunity allows viewers to experience seven of the enigmatic artist's experimental films. Included is CROSSROADS, a 1976 film that creatively combines declassified footage of atomic bomb tests. Conner's rapid-fire editing techniques led some to call him the "father of the music video," and by extension, perhaps even a progenitor of modern short-form video content.
Contemporary Korean Art and Social Commentary
MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles hosts "Haegue Yang: Star-Crossed Rendezvous" from March 1 to August 2. This collaborative exhibition between MOCA and the Los Angeles Philharmonic pairs the work of contemporary Korean sculptor Haegue Yang with the compositions of Korean-born composer Isang Yun, who spent his career in Germany and died in 1995. The exhibition explores themes of cultural exchange and artistic dialogue.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the LA Philharmonic will perform Yun’s Double Concerto, 1977, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on March 10, creating an interdisciplinary experience for attendees.
Arthur Jafa's "The White Album" at The Hammer Museum
Also in Los Angeles, The Hammer Museum will feature Arthur Jafa's highly anticipated film, "The White Album," from March 14 to August 30. This 40-minute film is described as a "social critique of whiteness" and serves as the celebrated American artist's follow-up to his widely praised 2016 work, Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death. "The White Album" previously won the Golden Lion for the best work in the central exhibition at the 2019 Venice Biennale.
Regional Modernism and Impressionist Dialogue
The Buffalo AKG Art Museum opens "Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way" on March 6, running until December 6. This ambitious exhibition features 58 Latinx artists, including Candida Alvarez, Felipe Baeza, Guadalupe Maravilla, and Leslie Martinez. The show investigates how this broad cohort is pushing the boundaries of painting in new and exciting directions. The title draws inspiration from former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera’s poem of the same name.
In Seattle, the Seattle Art Museum presents "Beyond Mysticism: The Modern Northwest" from March 5 to August 2. This exhibition uncovers a less familiar chapter of Modernism that took root in the Pacific Northwest. It explores the works of artists like Mark Tobey, Kenneth Anderson, Guy Anderson, and Morris Graves, challenging previous classifications of their output as solely "mystic" and highlighting their engagements with Social Realism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.
Finally, the Cleveland Museum of Art will host "Manet and Morisot" from March 29 to July 9. This is the first museum exhibition to specifically examine the artistic exchange between Édouard Manet and Berthe Morisot. Their relationship was one of the closest between any two members of the Impressionist movement. Beyond mutual admiration, Morisot also served as a model for Manet and later married his younger brother, Eugène, in 1874, solidifying a deep personal and professional bond.