A wealth of acclaimed artists are showcased in paintings, sculptures, photography and installation art. The Spanish art scene is filled with exciting exhibitions in 2026 that I can’t wait to see.
1 Vilhelm Hammershøi in Madrid
Madrid’s art scene is always worth traveling for. In February 2026, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza will open its doors for the first exhibition of the famous Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916) in Spain.
The exhibition features 90 works (oil paintings and drawings) that provide insight into his extensive work. Included are landscape paintings, portraits, including musicians and his wife Ida Ilsted, and interior paintings with and without people from his home in Strandgade in Copenhagen.
Exhibition subtitle, The Listening Eye , refers to the metaphorical relationship between Hammershøi’s paintings, the calmness they exude, which is a theme of the exhibition. It also delves into his wife’s role in the creative process, the refinement of the interiors, his treatment of architecture, landscapes and, in recent years, self-portraits.
Hammershøi: ‘El ojo que escucha’,
Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, from February 17 to May 31.
2 Anniversary exhibition at MACBA in Barcelona
Barcelona’s contemporary art museum, MACBA, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026 with the exhibition Like a Star Dance: Thirty Years and Infinite Ways of Being.
The title refers to the dance of the birds as they swirl unpredictably in swarms, creating a beautiful, intricately choreographed dance. This dance has inspired the museum to delve into its collection and blend 200 works into a brand new choreography. All the while reflecting on contemporary, subjective processes.
The works are created by 50 different artists. Around half of the works are exhibited for the first time, of which 15% are new. Everything from black and white photos to contemporary paintings, installations, video and sound.
Local and international artists include Claudia Andujar, Miquel Arnal, Onofre Bachiller, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Samuel Beckett, Antonio Beneyto, Luis Claramunt, Esther Ferrer, Richard Hamilton, Joan Miró, Dennis Oppenheim and Antoni Tàpies.
Como una danza de estorninos, Colección MACBA: treinta años e infinitas formas de ser
MACBA, Barcelona, until September 28, 2026.
Encaustic and collage on canvas with objects (three panels)
© Jasper Johns, VEGAP, Bilbao, 2025
3 Jasper Johns in Bilbao
In 2026, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao will host an ambitious retrospective exhibition dedicated to the American artist Jasper Johns (1930). He is considered one of the most influential artists in American post-war art.
Johns revitalized the American art scene between the 1950s and 1970s and inspired younger generations of artists with his diverse aesthetic tendencies.
The exhibition Jasper Johns: Night Driver spans seven decades of the artist’s prolific career. The collection of over one hundred works from private and public collections takes you on a journey through iconic paintings of flags, targets, letters, numbers and maps created in the 1950s.
The exhibition continues with John’s works of pop art, minimalism and conceptual art from the 1970s and 1980s.
The journey ends with works from the 1990s and 2000s, where Johns revisits some of his most recognizable themes while exploring new formal and conceptual ideas.
Jasper Johns: Night Driver
Museo Guggenheim Bilbao, from May 29 to December 10.
4 Annie Leibovitz in A Coruña
Since it opened in 2022, the Marta Ortega Pérez (MOP) Foundation in the Galician coastal city of A Coruña has become the go-to place for those interested in quality fashion, photography and A Coruña exhibitions.
Right now you can experience the extensive Wonderland exhibition by world-famous photographer Annie Leibovitz (1949), who has greatly inspired portrait photography – especially of celebrities.
Divided into four sections, the exhibition follows Leibovitz through her career as a photographer in the worlds of art, film, music, sports, politics and fashion.
Here are photos from Leibovitz’s early years as a photographer for Rolling Stones magazine in the 1970s with portraits of musicians such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Grace Slick and Keith Richards to recent years with an extensive collection of fashion photographs for American Vogue and others.
The photographs are accompanied by films and interviews with some of those who have worked closely with Annie Leibovitz, including Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith.
The exhibition is the first comprehensive exhibition of Annie Leibovitz in Spain and many of the photographs have not been exhibited before.
Annie Leibovitz: Wonderland
MOP The Foundation, A Coruña, until May 1, 2026.
5 Joana Vasconcelos in Valencia
Valencia’s museum of modern art,Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM) has just awarded the González Prize to Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos (1971). The González Prize is awarded to a contemporary artist who contributes to the development of contemporary art.
In late 2026, IVAM will open an exhibition of Joana Vasconcelos’ works. The artist creates impressive and striking installations exploring themes of identity, femininity and cultural heritage.
Vasconcelos works at the intersection of tradition and innovation. She uses craft traditions such as silk, crochet and ceramics in combination with LED lights and recycled materials in her symbolic universes.
The exhibition includes a labyrinthine version of the Garden of Eden, a series of Valkyries inspired by female characters from Norse mythology. She has been working on the series since 2004. Other exhibits include a series of textile sculptures and a pair of gigantic high-heeled shoes inspired by the ones Marilyn Monroe wore in the movie The Sweet Itch.
The masterpiece is conceived for the museum staircase. It establishes a dialog between the artisanal traditions of Valencia and Portugal and the mythological stories of the Iberian Peninsula.
Joana Vasconcelos
Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM), Valencia, from November 12, 2026
6 Yuko Mohri in Santander
The futuristic art center, Botín, in Santander is overlooked, which is a shame. Because it offers many exciting exhibitions. In 2026, the art center will open its doors to the most comprehensive exhibition in Europe by Japanese installation artist Yoku Mohri (1980).
In the exhibition, titled Intertwining , you can see some of the artist’s visionary works. The title refers to the invisible connections and complex interactions that exist between objects, forces, sounds and people.
The works are site-specific kinetic sculptures that combine found objects with altered musical instruments. They are complemented by elements found in their surroundings such as air, dust and temperatures, transforming them into ecosystems where sound is the most important.
The exhibition explores how the elements are inextricably linked and nothing works independently. Everything is a constantly evolving network of relationships.
Entrelazamientos
Centro Botín, Santander, from March 28 to September 6.
7 Cristóbal Hara in Palma de Mallorca
The Juan March Foundation Museum March Foundation in Palma de Mallorca invites you to a photo exhibition where visitors can step into the world of children for a moment.
In 1971, Spanish photographer Cristóbal Hara (1946), winner of the 2022 National Photography Award, created a series of 15 images of school children from the city of Cuenca, accompanied by 15 stories told by the children themselves.
The images have captured moments characterized by chance, the unexpected and experimentation. Each photo is accompanied by the story that the photo inspired the child to tell. They have become little memories where imagination and perception merge.
The photo series and stories were published as a book at the Spanish Museum of Abstract Art in Cuenca. Now the photos and the accompanying images can be experienced as an exhibition.
The exhibition invites the visitor to look, read and listen with the openness and curiosity of a child, knowing that reality can always be retold in a different way.
Cristobal Hara: 15 cuentos instantáneos
Juan March Foundation. Palma de Mallorca, until May 2, 2026
