Kunsthaus Zürich Announces 2026 Programme Featuring Marshall, Marisol, Hammershøi, Lassnig-Munch Dialogue
The Facts
On November 3, 2025, the Kunsthaus Zürich announced its 2026 annual programme, which includes major exhibitions of Kerry James Marshall, Félicien Rops, Marisol, Vilhelm Hammershøi, and a joint show of Maria Lassnig and Edvard Munch. The Marshall exhibition, titled 'The Histories,' opens from the end of February, featuring large-scale paintings addressing African American history. Rops' 'Laboratory of Lust' opens in March, exploring 19th-century eroticism and gender roles. Marisol's first European retrospective opens in mid-April, covering her Pop Art and Dada-influenced work. Hammershøi's 'The Eye That Listens' opens in July, focusing on his enigmatic interiors. The Lassnig-Munch dialogue, 'Flow of Paint = Flow of Life,' opens in October. The museum also marks the 125th anniversary of Alberto Giacometti's birth with new gallery arrangements, and presents Wolfgang Laib's ongoing collection exhibition. The Bührle collection will be re-arranged from the end of March.
The Signal
The programme reflects director Ann Demeester's strategy of 'polyphony and contradictions,' juxtaposing contemplative works with socially engaged art. By pairing historic masters with contemporary voices such as Jeffrey Gibson and Monster Chetwynd, the Kunsthaus positions itself as a site for dialogue on diversity, identity, and cultural continuity. The emphasis on African American, feminist, and queer perspectives, alongside canonical European figures, signals a deliberate institutional shift toward inclusive, critical narratives that resonate with current museum discourse.
- Artists: Kerry James Marshall, Félicien Rops, Marisol, Vilhelm Hammershøi, Maria Lassnig, Edvard Munch, Wolfgang Laib, Jeffrey Gibson, Monster Chetwynd, Alberto Giacometti
- People: Ann Demeester
- Museums: Kunsthaus Zürich
- Locations: Zürich
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