4 Art Shows to See This Fall

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 4, 2026

This fall, major institutions including the Frick Collection, Whitney Museum, Stedelijk Museum, and New Museum are launching exhibitions featuring artists like Kent Monkman, Roy Lichtenstein, Yayoi Kusama, and Arthur Jafa that explore themes of identity, history, and artistic innovation. These shows not only highlight groundbreaking work and underrepresented perspectives but also mark significant institutional shifts, such as the Frick’s first prominent Native artist exhibition and Kusama’s final retrospective.

This fall, several notable art exhibitions are set to open across major institutions in the United States and Europe, showcasing a diverse range of contemporary and modern works that engage themes of identity, history, and artistic innovation.

At New York’s Frick Collection, Canadian Cree artist Kent Monkman will present new paintings beginning November 12. Monkman, recognized for his provocative style and gender-fluid alter ego Miss Chief, draws inspiration from the museum’s own holdings, including a 17th-century Vermeer painting that lends its name to the exhibit. His work confronts historical narratives by placing Miss Chief in confrontations with white authority figures from different periods, ranging from General Custer to a figure reminiscent of Jeff Bezos. This marks the first time the Frick has featured a Native artist in such a prominent exhibition, reflecting a broader reassessment of the institution’s collection and legacy.

In Amsterdam, the Stedelijk Museum will continue its retrospective of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, which runs through January 17. Kusama passed away in August at the age of 97, making this her final project. The exhibition features her immersive “infinity rooms” as well as a wide chronological survey of her career. It highlights lesser-known early works that respond to the aftermath of the atomic bombings, alongside her well-known polka dot and net motifs. The show aims to present Kusama’s artistic evolution beyond the highly popular installation pieces, emphasizing her pioneering role in contemporary art.

Opening October 11, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York will launch “Roy Lichtenstein: Like New,” a major retrospective exploring the multifaceted nature of the Pop artist’s oeuvre. Curated by Whitney curator Meg Onli and artist Alex Da Corte, the exhibition challenges the familiar perception of Lichtenstein’s imagery, often found on consumer goods, by contextualizing its original cultural impact in the 1950s and ’60s. Highlights include a detailed recreation of Lichtenstein’s 1962 debut show, temporary murals for the 1964 World’s Fair, and a video piece featuring Da Corte in the role of Lichtenstein’s influential professor, which together underscore the artist’s engagement with conceptual art movements.

Meanwhile, New York’s New Museum continues to present “Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony” through January 3. Jafa, known for his 2016 film “Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death,” which gained prominence alongside the Black Lives Matter movement, offers a sweeping installation that includes film, sculpture, painting, photography, and wallpaper. The show provides an urgent examination of Blackness from aesthetic and political perspectives. Amid a relatively sparse fall schedule for exhibitions addressing race and gender liberation, Jafa’s display has drawn attention for its timely and powerful content.

These exhibitions collectively signal a dynamic season in the art world, one that interrogates historical narratives, expands artistic boundaries, and foregrounds culturally significant voices.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.