As we step into 2025, the global art scene is abuzz with a series of compelling exhibitions that promise to captivate audiences worldwide. From retrospectives of prominent figures to innovative contemporary installations, these ten must-see museum shows are not to be missed.
Jenny Saville Retrospective
National Portrait Gallery, London
Jenny Saville in front of her works, 2023. Photo courtesy of P55 Art.
Celebrated for her monumental paintings of the human body, Jenny Saville receives a long-awaited retrospective at London’s National Portrait Gallery. This exhibition spans her career from the 1990s to today, highlighting her masterful use of paint to depict flesh in all its vulnerability and power.
Jenny Saville: Ekkyklema, installation view, 2023. Photo courtesy of Gagosian.
The show includes early works that challenged traditional ideals of beauty, as well as recent explorations of motherhood and aging. Saville’s dynamic brushwork and raw emotional intensity make this a must-see exhibition, running from July 2025 to January 2026.
Mark Rothko and Louise Bourgeois
Tate Modern, London
Mark Rothko in his studio, 1964. Photo courtesy of Hans Namuth.
This dual exhibition at Tate Modern brings together two titans of 20th-century art: Mark Rothko and Louise Bourgeois. Though working in different mediums—Rothko in color-soaked canvases and Bourgeois in sculpture—their shared themes of psychological depth, emotion, and existential inquiry create a fascinating dialogue.
Louise Bourgeois, Maman at Tate Turbine Hall, 2000. Photo courtesy of Tate.
Visitors can expect to see Rothko’s luminous, meditative paintings alongside Bourgeois’ deeply personal and sometimes unsettling sculptures. Running from August 2025 through February 2026, this exhibition is an emotional and sensory journey not to be missed.
Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers
Guggenheim Museum, New York
Rashid Johnson in the studio with a work from his series Anxious Red Paintings. Photograph courtesy of Lux Magazine.
Rashid Johnson’s work, deeply rooted in themes of race, identity, and psychological introspection, takes center stage in "A Poem for Deep Thinkers" at the Guggenheim. This exhibition showcases new and past works, including his signature “Anxious Men” series, sculptural installations, and mixed-media paintings. Through these pieces, Johnson engages with Afrofuturism, existentialism, and collective memory.
Rashid Johnson, Bruise Painting “Body and Soul, 2021. Photo courtesy of David Kordansky Gallery.
One of the highlights of the show is a large-scale installation featuring plant life, shea butter, and Black cultural iconography, creating an environment that feels both personal and universal. Running from April to October 2025, this show invites viewers to explore the intersections of personal history and societal structures, making it a must-see for those interested in contemporary discourse on race and belonging.
Yoshitomo Nara
Hayward Gallery, London
Yoshitimo Nara: Thinker, installation view, 2017. Photo courtesy of Pace.
Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara brings his iconic, big-eyed figures to the Hayward Gallery in a major survey of his work. Known for blending pop culture with raw emotion, Nara’s paintings, drawings, and sculptures resonate with themes of childhood, rebellion, and solitude.
The exhibition, open from September 2025 to March 2026, will feature both beloved classics and new works, offering insight into Nara’s evolving artistic vision. His deceptively simple imagery carries deep psychological weight, making this a show that lingers in the mind long after viewing.
Christine Sun Kim: All Day All Night
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
Christine Sun Kim: Echo Trap, 2021, installation view, Museum für Moderne Kunst. Photo courtesy of Museum für Moderne Kunst.
Christine Sun Kim's "All Day All Night" is a groundbreaking survey that brings together over a decade of work exploring the visual representation of sound. Featuring drawings, site-specific murals, video installations, and sculptures, the exhibition challenges the limitations of spoken language while celebrating Deaf culture. Through her innovative use of musical notation, ASL (American Sign Language), and graphic imagery, Kim creates a world where sound is seen rather than heard.
This exhibition, running from February to July 2025, also highlights the intersection of disability, identity, and political discourse. With an emphasis on humor and poetic insight, Kim's work critiques societal barriers while advocating for more inclusive communication systems. Visitors can expect an immersive experience that pushes the boundaries of perception and artistic expression.
Anselm Kiefer: Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind
Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Anselm Kiefer: Fallen Angels, installation view, Palazzo Strozzi, 2024. Photo courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac.
Anselm Kiefer, renowned for his large-scale, textured canvases that grapple with themes of history, memory, and mythology, presents "Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind" ("Tell Me, Where Have All the Flowers Gone"). This evocative exhibition, split between the Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum, draws a compelling link between Kiefer’s heavily layered paintings and Van Gogh’s expressive brushwork.
The show juxtaposes Kiefer’s monumental, ash-covered landscapes with Van Gogh’s luminous depictions of nature, exploring destruction and regeneration in art. Visitors will witness a dialogue between past and present, where Kiefer’s materials—lead, sand, and straw—stand in stark contrast to Van Gogh’s vivid hues. The exhibition runs from March through September 2025 and offers a rare opportunity to see the connections between these two visionary artists.
Five Friends: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly
Museum Brandhorst, Munich
Cy Twombly, installation view, Tate, London, 2020. Photo courtesy of Tate.
This group exhibition at Museum Brandhorst highlights the interconnected artistic practices of five groundbreaking figures in 20th-century art: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly. Through paintings, drawings, stage designs, and archival materials, the show explores how these artists influenced one another across disciplines, from visual art to dance and music.
Visitors will see how Cage’s avant-garde compositions informed Cunningham’s radical choreography, which in turn inspired Johns and Rauschenberg’s bold experimentation with materials. Meanwhile, Twombly’s expressive line work provides a poetic counterpoint to the group's collaborative ethos. This exhibition, on view from May to November 2025, is a deep dive into artistic synergy and innovation.
Hans Josephsohn, Curated by Albert Oehlen
Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris
HANS JOSEPHSOHN: Josephsohn vu par Albert Oehlen, installation view, Musée d'Art Moderne, 2025. Photo courtesy of Galerie Max Hetzler.
Swiss sculptor Hans Josephsohn’s powerful, rough-hewn figures take center stage in this Paris exhibition, curated by contemporary artist Albert Oehlen. Known for his raw, expressive approach to the human form, Josephsohn’s sculptures appear both ancient and modern, bridging classical traditions with a distinctly 20th-century sensibility.
Oehlen’s curatorial touch brings fresh perspectives to Josephsohn’s work, pairing his sculptures with unexpected contemporary pieces and multimedia elements. Running from June to December 2025, this exhibition offers a unique exploration of materiality, figuration, and the emotional weight of sculptural presence.
Lee Bul: My Grand Narrative
Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul
Lee Bul, After Bruno Taut (Beware the sweetness of things), 2007. Photo courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac.
Korean artist Lee Bul presents "My Grand Narrative," a sprawling exhibition of futuristic sculptures, biomorphic installations, and performance art. Known for her visionary aesthetic that fuses cyberpunk influences with feminist discourse, Bul’s work challenges societal norms and technological anxieties.
On view from October 2025 through April 2026, this exhibition at the Leeum Museum of Art showcases both early and recent works, inviting viewers into a world where utopia and dystopia collide.
Ruth Asawa Retrospective
SFMOMA, San Francisco
Ruth Asawa during a trip to Mexico, 1947. Photo courtesy of The New York Times.
Ruth Asawa, known for her intricate wire sculptures, receives a comprehensive retrospective at SFMOMA. Spanning her career from the 1940s to her final works, this exhibition highlights her innovative approach to form, space, and material.
Running from November 2025 to May 2026, the retrospective places Asawa’s work in conversation with contemporary artists inspired by her legacy, ensuring her influence continues to resonate with new generations.