From South Korea to London, Antwerp, and beyond, these are the must-see exhibitions of 2026.
From Edward Enninful bringing the 90s to Tate Britain to The Antwerp Six, Marina Abramović, and Rafael Pavarotti occupying the global stage, these are some of the year’s most exciting exhibitions.
Each year, we eagerly await the details of the exhibitions set to dominate the cultural calendar. To our delight, 2026’s schedule is bursting at the seams. Some of the most revered faces of contemporary art are set to return to the global spotlight, including Tracey Emin and fashion’s favourite photographer, Rafael Pavarotti. Dedicated to the fashion and faces that dominated the 90s, Edward Enninful evokes nostalgia as he curates one of the most exciting exhibitions of the year. Elsewhere, Asia’s queer history is being documented through the gaze of over 70 artists, and Black British music takes center stage in London’s newest gallery. Housed in beloved cultural institutions – from the concrete-walled Tate Britain to the opulent Musée des Arts Décoratifs – these are the exhibitions worth visiting in 2026…
YOUNG PINK KATE, 1998 JUERGEN TELLER
The 90s
Where: Tate Britain, London
When: 8th October 2026 – 14th February 2027
Come October 2026, EE72’s founder and Chief Creative Officer Edward Enninful is taking over the Tate.The 90s, an exhibition curated by Enninful, tours through the work of tastemakers and creative forces that’ve shaped an iconic decade of British culture. Prepare to be transported back in time by imagery from pioneering photographers such as Juergen Teller, Nick Knight, and David Sims, and showcases of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. Artists such as Damien Hirst and Gillian Wearing are also set to feature. “After the 80s we were trying to find our voices. The beauty of that era is that we all got to hang out together and we all had the same drive to create something new for our generation,” shares Enninful.
SO SOLID CREW, BATTERSEA PARK, 2001 EDDIE OTCHERE
JANET KAY, TIM BARROW
The Music is Black: A British Story
Where: V&A East Museum, London
When: 18th April 2026
The newly-opened V&A East Museum – an extension of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum – has announced its inaugural exhibition:The Music is Black: A British Story. “Celebrating the voices, talent and stories of Black British music and its global impact”, the multi-sensory exhibition spans 125 years, encompassing the careers of Shirley Bassey, Skepta, Little Simz, Seal, and a whole host of other musicians. Expect new imagery of some of the UK’s most beloved artists, and key artefacts that proved instrumental in their rise through the musical ranks. The museum itself put it best: “This is a story of excellence and struggle, resilience and joy.”
THE ANTWERP SIX
DIRK BIKKEMBERGS
The Antwerp Six
Where: MoMu, Antwerp
When: 28th March 2026 to 17th January 2027
When Mary Prijot took Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene, Walter Van Beirendonck, and the late Marina Yee as her students at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, the face of fashion changed. The six designers sent shock waves through the industry with their avant-garde approach to design, and are now widely considered to be a force within their field. This March, MoMu Antwerp celebrates 40 years since the group’s global debut with the largest showcase dedicated to the sextet’s solo careers. Featuring their original garments and the intricate sketches that informed their designs, enjoy “a unique, in-depth view of their legacy and their influence,” says MoMu Director, Kaat Debo
MAM SHANGHAI, YU JIEYU
Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy
Where: Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice
When: 6th May 2026 to 19th October 2026.
At the 61st Venice Biennale Arte, conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović will be making history. The Serbian creative will become the first living woman to have a solo exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia. In conjunction with the artist’s 80th birthday, Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy will display a group of her “Transitory Objects” – interactive pieces crafted from natural materials, including crystals and stones. This exhibition marks another landmark move for the artist, whose solo show at the Royal Academy of Arts in London was also the first of its kind for a female artist.
HARRY KEITA AS DELPHINIUM FAIRY, LONDON, 2022 TIM WALKER
IAN MCKELLEN, LOVE, LONDON, 2023 TIM WALKER
Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends
Where: National Portrait Gallery, London
When: 8th October 2026 to 31st January 2027
Aptly named Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends, the British photographer takes to London’s National Portrait Gallery to explore themes of queer identity, community, and love through imagery, all awash with his whimsical aesthetic. Across a selection of portraits and landscapes, which have been five years in the making, enjoy Walker’s interpretation of the performers, artists, activists, and writers shaping queer narratives.
INHWAN OH, WHERE HE MEETS IN SOEUL, 2020
Spectrosynthesis Seoul
Where: Art Sonje Center, Seoul
When: March 20th 2026 to June 28th 2026
In the fourth instalment of a mould-breaking art series, Patrick Sun’s Spectrosynthesis Seoul spotlights a host of artists with Asia’s queer communities as their subject. Powered by Sun’s LGBTQ+ awareness platform, Sunpride Foundation, up to 70 artists, including siren eun young jung, Kang Seung Lee, and Inhwan Oh, will be featured. Having already toured Bangkok, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, the exhibition series lands in the South Korean capital with curation by Sunjung Kim. “Spectrosynthesis Seoul examines diverse identities, concerns, and artistic practices that have often been overlooked within dominant art-historical narratives,” she confirms. “Reflecting this diversity and multiplicity of voices, the exhibition adopts a curatorial framework that approaches queer art through multiple, intersecting perspectives rather than a singular viewpoint.”
ANOK YAI, RAFAEL PAVAROTTI
SEPTEMBER 2022, BRITISH VOGUE, RAFAEL PAVAROTTI
Color Power. Rafael Pavarotti
Where: Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
October 2nd 2026 – May 2nd 2027
Rafael Pavarotti is one of the leading visionaries of modern fashion photography. Everyone has stood before the Brazilian artist’s lens; Beyoncé, Rihanna and Harry Styles are just some of his subjects. In honour of his career, dedicated to sublime photography and celebrating diversity, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is bringing the largest retrospective of the artist’s work to Paris. His striking imagery and unmistakable aesthetic, imbued with vivid colour, ensure this upcoming display will be a visual feast.
I FOLLOWED YOU TO THE END, 2024 TRACEY EMIN
I AM THE LAST OF MY KIND, 2019, TRACEY EMIN
Tracey Emin: A Second Life
Where: Tate Modern, London
When: 27th February 2026 – 31st August 2026
Tracey Emin’s visceral, often firsthand, exploration of the female body has made her a force in contemporary art and earned her a Turner Prize nomination. This year, the Tate Modern is touring through the artist’s career, spanning 40 years, in what will be the “largest ever survey exhibition celebrating the groundbreaking work of [the] world-renowned artist.” The new meets the old in this exhibition, as some of Emin’s most famed pieces join works that have not been displayed to the public until now.
NIGO AT THE DESIGN MUSEM BY ELLIOT JAMES KENNEDY
FROM JAPAN WITH LOVE AT THE DESIGN MUSEUM, COURTESY OF NIGO
NIGO: From Japan with Love
Where: The Design Museum, London
When: 1st May 2026 to 4th October 2026
Another first-of-its-kind exhibition, Nigo: From Japan with Love is heading to the Design Museum this May. Documenting the life and legacy of the trailblazing designer and creative director, this is the first time his work will be celebrated on this scale outside of Japan. His career is peppered with monumental achievements, including the creation of streetwear staple A Bathing Ape in 1993 and his ongoing work at the helm of Kenzo. This May, explore the life and work behind one of fashion’s most influential visionaries.
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