NRW Exhibitions 2026: Animals, Mirrors, and Sex Work - Germany’s 2026–27 Art Boom Unites Courbet, Kusama and Visionary Rebels
Major exhibitions across Germany will bring together groundbreaking artists from the 19th century to today. Over the next two years, museums in Essen, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Wuppertal will showcase works by Gustave Courbet, Yayoi Kusama, Niki de Saint Phalle and others. Each event highlights pivotal moments in art history, from realism to contemporary installations.
The first retrospective opens at Essen’s Museum Folkwang on July 18, 2026. Titled I, Gustave Courbet: Painter and Rebel, it explores how the French artist’s bold realism reshaped 19th-century art. Around 90 works will demonstrate his influence on modern movements. The exhibition runs until November 8, 2026.
Later that year, Düsseldorf’s Kunstpalast presents Niki de Saint Phalle: Dream Machine from September 10, 2026, to February 7, 2027. Over 100 pieces, including her vibrant Nana sculptures and Shooting Paintings, will be displayed. The show was developed with the Sprengel Museum Hannover and will travel to Wrocław in 2027. From September 12, 2026, to January 24, 2027, the Kunstsammlung NRW focuses on Franz Marc, co-founder of The Blue Rider. In Search of a Better World traces his evolution from animal paintings to abstract cubism. Meanwhile, the Von der Heydt Museum in Wuppertal revives Carl Grossberg’s legacy with Precise – Mystical – Visionary (March 22–August 30, 2026), featuring newly discovered works. In 2027, Cologne’s Museum Ludwig hosts a career-spanning Yayoi Kusama exhibition (March 14–August 2). At 96, the artist remains a global icon, known for her Infinity Mirror Rooms and polka-dot motifs. A new mirror installation will debut as part of the show.
These exhibitions offer rare access to both historical and living artists. Courbet’s realism, Kusama’s immersive installations, and de Saint Phalle’s playful sculptures will be on view across multiple cities. Each show provides a chance to see influential works, some never before displayed in Germany.
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