ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

12 Must-See Spring Exhibitions in New York

exhibition · 2026-05-04

This spring, New York City hosts a variety of 12 exhibitions, including: - 'Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll' at The Met, showcasing guitars from Jimi Hendrix to Lady Gaga, available until October 1. - A retrospective of Basquiat at The Brant Foundation, running through May 15. - 'So Much Deathless,' a Gretchen Bender retrospective at Red Bull Arts until July 29. - 'Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving' at the Brooklyn Museum until May 12. - 'Nancy Spero: Paper Mirror' at MoMA PS1, open until June 23. - 'She Persists' at Gracie Mansion until December 31. - 'Moroni: The Riches of Renaissance Portraiture' at The Frick until June 2. - 'Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything' at The Jewish Museum until September 8. - 'We the People' at the New Museum until May 26. - 'Joan Miró: Birth of the World' at MoMA until June 15. - 'Reich Richter Pärt' at The Shed until June 2. - A Keith Haring mural at Pioneer Works until May 12.

Key facts

  • Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll at the Met runs until October 1, 2019.
  • The Brant Foundation's new East Village location hosts a Basquiat retrospective through May 15, 2019.
  • Gretchen Bender's first posthumous retrospective is at Red Bull Arts New York until July 29, 2019.
  • Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving at the Brooklyn Museum includes her clothing and personal items.
  • Nancy Spero: Paper Mirror at MoMA PS1 includes over 100 works and runs until June 23, 2019.
  • She Persists at Gracie Mansion celebrates the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.
  • Moroni: The Riches of Renaissance Portraiture is the first major US show on the artist.
  • Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum features commissioned works by international artists.
  • Nari Ward: We the People at the New Museum covers his career with over 30 works.
  • Joan Miró: Birth of the World at MoMA focuses on the 1925 painting and runs until June 15, 2019.
  • The Shed opens with Reich Richter Pärt, a collaboration between Steve Reich, Gerhard Richter, and Arvo Pärt.
  • Keith Haring's 1987 Boys Club Mural is exhibited at Pioneer Works through May 12, 2019.

Entities

Artists

  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Chuck Berry
  • Lady Gaga
  • Eddie Van Halen
  • Jean-Michel Basquiat
  • Andy Warhol
  • Walter De Maria
  • Gretchen Bender
  • Frida Kahlo
  • Diego Rivera
  • Nancy Spero
  • Berenice Abbott
  • Diane Arbus
  • Cindy Sherman
  • Kara Walker
  • Faith Ringgold
  • Carmen Herrera
  • Giovanni Battista Moroni
  • Leonard Cohen
  • Kara Blake
  • Candice Breitz
  • Tacita Dean
  • George Fok
  • Ari Folman
  • Lou Doillon
  • Moby
  • The National
  • Nari Ward
  • Joan Miró
  • Steve Reich
  • Gerhard Richter
  • Arvo Pärt
  • Keith Haring
  • Dustin Yellin
  • Maurita Cardone

Institutions

  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • The Brant Foundation
  • Red Bull Arts New York
  • Brooklyn Museum
  • MoMA PS1
  • Gracie Mansion Conservancy
  • The Frick Collection
  • The Jewish Museum
  • The New Museum
  • MoMA
  • The Shed
  • Pioneer Works
  • Lehmann Maupin
  • Galleria Continua
  • Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
  • Artribune
  • Boy's Club of New York

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York
  • The Brant Foundation, 421 East 6th St, New York
  • East Village, New York
  • Red Bull Arts New York, 220 W 18th St, New York
  • Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, New York
  • MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Avenue, New York
  • Gracie Mansion, East 88th Street & East End Avenue, New York
  • The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th Street, New York
  • The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Avenue, New York
  • The New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York
  • MoMA, 11 West 53rd Street, New York
  • The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, New York
  • Hudson Yards, New York
  • Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street, New York
  • Harlem, New York
  • Mexico
  • Italy
  • Venice
  • Richmond, Virginia

Sources