Summer is one of the best times of the year to discover new cities, revisit major international museums, and enjoy some of the season’s most anticipated art exhibitions. Beyond the tourist appeal of each destination, these exhibitions offer the opportunity to delve deeper into key artists, revisit movements that shaped art history, or discover previously unseen connections between different disciplines.
This selection brings together some of the art exhibitions located in various parts of the world that our experts consider particularly noteworthy for the quality of the works on loan, the interest of their curatorial approaches, and the significance of the featured artists. A journey that spans from the Baroque masters to contemporary art, encompassing fashion and architecture along the way.
Alexander Calder – Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris, France)
This summer, Paris is hosting a major exhibition dedicated to Alexander Calder, one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century. Known for revolutionizing sculpture with his famous mobiles, the exhibition explores his ability to incorporate movement as an essential element of his art.
Beyond his most iconic works, the exhibition offers insight into how Calder transformed the relationship between volume, balance, and space, becoming an essential figure in contemporary sculpture. It is one of the most compelling art exhibitions for visitors to the French capital.
Zurbarán – National Gallery (London, United Kingdom)
The National Gallery presents one of the major events of the year, dedicated to Francisco de Zurbarán. The exhibition explores the Spanish painter’s extraordinary ability to make light, silence, and spirituality the absolute focal points of his compositions.
This is an excellent opportunity to discover the intensity of one of the great masters of the Spanish Golden Age and to understand why his paintings continue to fascinate both historians and collectors alike.
Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art – Victoria & Albert Museum (London, United Kingdom)
The line between fashion and artistic creation blurs in this exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli. The Victoria & Albert Museum explores how the Italian designer transformed haute couture into a true creative laboratory thanks to her close relationships with artists such as Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Alberto Giacometti.
This exhibition is especially recommended for those who enjoy exhibitions that explore the dialogue between different creative disciplines.
Metamorphoses. Ovid and the Arts – Galleria Borghese (Rome, Italy)
The Galleria Borghese offers a fascinating exploration of the influence of Ovid’s *Metamorphoses* on the history of Western art. Painting, sculpture, and the decorative arts engage in a dialogue centered on some of the mythological tales that have inspired generations of artists for centuries.
The beauty of the museum itself makes this one of the great art exhibitions in Europe for those traveling to Rome this summer.
Jasper Johns: Night Driver – Guggenheim Bilbao (Bilbao, Spain)
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao presents a comprehensive retrospective of Jasper Johns, a key figure in understanding the evolution of American art in the second half of the 20th century.
The exhibition explores some of his most important works on visual language, symbols, and perception, offering a comprehensive overview of an artist who paved the way between Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and Conceptual Art.
Joana Vasconcelos: Transfiguration – Museo Picasso Málaga (Málaga, Spain)
Joana Vasconcelos’s monumental installations take over the Museo Picasso Málaga in an exhibition where tradition, craftsmanship, and contemporary art engage in a constant dialogue.
Through large-scale works created using ceramics, textiles, or everyday objects, the Portuguese artist transforms familiar materials into striking sculptures that invite reflection on identity, gender, and popular culture.
Frida and Diego: The Last Dream – MoMA (New York, United States)
The Museum of Modern Art is dedicating an exhibition to the complex artistic and personal relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera during the final years of their lives.
The exhibition brings together paintings, drawings, and archival materials that shed light on how the two artists influenced one another as they forged two of the most significant trajectories in 20th-century Latin American art. It is undoubtedly one of the must-see art exhibitions for anyone visiting New York this summer.
Jean Nouvel: Without the Artist, Architecture Disappears – Pudong Museum of Art (Shanghai, China)
For those taking advantage of the summer to travel to China, the Museum of Art Pudong is presenting a major retrospective dedicated to Jean Nouvel.
The exhibition examines the French architect’s work from an unusual perspective: architecture understood as a discipline inseparable from art. Models, drawings, installations, and audiovisual material show how Nouvel has built some of the most iconic buildings on the contemporary international scene.
A Summer to Discover Art
Traveling is also a way to broaden one’s horizons. These art exhibitions allow visitors to explore the works of great artists from new perspectives, discover innovative curatorial approaches, and gain insight into some of the world’s most important cultural institutions.
If you’re looking for exhibitions to visit this summer, any of these options offers a wonderful opportunity to turn a trip into a truly cultural experience.
If you’re interested in starting or expanding your art, fashion, or design collection, we invite you to check out Setdart’s calendar of upcoming auctions and explore a carefully curated selection of pieces.
