As Chicago’s summer season winds down, a robust lineup of art exhibitions is set to open across the city this fall, offering a diverse range of experiences from emerging artists to retrospectives of established figures.

The Hyde Park Art Center will once again host "GROUND FLOOR 2026," a biennial exhibition focused on spotlighting emerging talent from local MFA programs. The show, running through November 1 at 5020 S. Cornell Ave., features works by a number of promising artists, including Emma Difani, naakita f.k., Mauricio López F., and Te Palandjian, providing insight into current and forthcoming art world trends.

At the Art Institute of Chicago, two notable exhibitions commemorate influential artists. "LEE MILLER: FEARLESS," on view until December 7, surveys the multifaceted career of Miller, who balanced roles as a photographer, model, correspondent, and chef across several decades and continents. Additionally, the institute is marking the centenary of Mary Cassatt’s death with "MARY CASSATT: AFTER IMPRESSIONISM," featuring over 75 works including paintings, prints, and ephemera related to her involvement with the French Impressionists. This exhibition is scheduled through January 3, 2027.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents "KENZI SHIOKAVA," the first solo museum exhibition of the late artist who passed away in 2021. Known for assembling sculptures and reliefs from discarded materials, Shioakava’s work—including carved totems from telephone poles and driftwood—creates immersive environments reminiscent of forests or temples. His show remains open until January 31, 2027.

"IF EMMETT TILL LIVED: FREEDOM ON AMERICAN GROUND" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography runs from September 10 to December 19 and features over 110 photographers envisioning the life and legacy of Emmett Till, the African American teenager whose 1955 murder galvanized the civil rights movement. The exhibition was developed in collaboration with Harvard professor Sarah Elizabeth Lewis and Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., Till’s cousin and a key witness to the event.

Additional exhibitions address a variety of themes and mediums. At the Arts Club of Chicago through December 18, "MERNET LARSEN: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS" offers a selection of works from 1986 onward that explore everyday scenarios with surrealistic nuance. The Museum of Contemporary Art’s "SLOW DANCE," running through March 21, 2027, challenges contemporary cultural imperatives by embracing patience, fatigue, and failure across performance, painting, sculpture, and video.

The Gertie Hub’s "82 NIGHTS ONLY," open from September 16 to December 13, provides a rotating mix of comedic and unconventional artworks and performances from artists such as Lee Lozano and Nyeema Morgan, highlighting humor as an artistic tool.

A wide-ranging, multilocation series—the "2026 VETERAN ART TRIENNIAL: RESISTING THE LONG WAR"—commences on September 12 and extends into early 2027. The exhibition centers on communities affected by war and militarism, featuring diverse works including ceramic pieces by Gulf War veteran Ehren Tool and quilted portraits by Dorothy I. Burge. Venues include Elmhurst Art Museum, Chicago Cultural Center, Hyde Park Art Center, and Walls Turned Sideways.

Lastly, Wrightwood 659 hosts "YUAN GOANG-MING: EVERYDAY WAR" through December 19. The immersive installation reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions in Taiwan through multimedia presentations adapted from the artist’s 2024 Venice Biennale pavilion.

Each exhibition offers a distinct viewpoint on contemporary and historical issues, inviting Chicago audiences to engage with art across multiple disciplines and narratives this fall.