While early spring may be a respite from fashion week, April brings a host of must-see art exhibitions—many of which have links to our favorite fall 2026 trends.
In fashion, early spring brings a welcome break from the barrage of runway season content. Each new year, the holidays are barely over before the men’s fashion shows begin, then comes couture, and before we know it, we’re gearing up for four full weeks of women’s ready-to-wear collections.
Finally, it’s April, and while we’re looking forward to a host of stateside resort collections and the Met Gala in May, this month offers a bit of respite from usual hubbub. Meanwhile, here in New York, there are plenty of exhibitions, many of which have links to 2026's top trends, to dress up and go see. “Raphael: Sublime Poetry,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art “Raphael: Sublime Poetry” at The Met is a comprehensive exhibition of more than 170 of Raffaello di Giovanni Santi’s greatest works, including paintings, drawings, and tapestries. Go for the Italian Renaissance artist’s most tender works, such as The Virgin and Child with Infant Saint John the Baptist in a Landscape, and stay for the rich depictions of solid swaths of fabric, not unlike the sumptuous colorblocking we saw on this season’s runways. Now through June 28. “Seeing Silence: The Painting of Helene Schjerfbeck,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art Thoughtful and comprehensive, “Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck,” is the first major museum exhibition of the Finnish artist in the United States. The show—which is only on view until April 5—traces her beginnings, from her early years studying in Paris, to her El Greco-inspired portrait studies in the 1920s and 1930s. Schjerfbeck’s work is often filled with gently off-kilter colors, including plenty of funky greens, as seen from labels like Tory Burch, Jil Sander, and Dior this season. “Puddles Into Pond,” by CFGNY at Amant Established in 2016, CFGNY is a collaborative project between Daniel Chew, Ten Izu, and Tin Nguyen that spans fashion, installation, photography, and more. At “Puddles Into Pond,” which is on view at Amant until August 16, the texture of the bridge in Landscape Composition calls to mind furry pieces seen across the fall 2026 runways. Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art The 82nd edition of the Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art is officially here. Through August 23, discover 56 unique artists across generations and identities, from Carmen de Monteflores to Julio Torres. Vibrant palettes and contrasting textural combinations call back to runways of independent designers like Tolu Coker, Conner Ives, and Kiko Kostadinov, each of whom placed craftsmanship in conversation with their distinct visual aesthetic. “Dreamkeeper,” by Arlina Cai at Hannah Traore Gallery Subtle and romantic, “Dreamkeeper,” by Alina Cai is on view at Hannah Traore Gallery until May 30. The Brooklyn-based artist approaches her gentle color work as a meditative practice, naming each piece instinctually as if reading from a tarot card. Her soft pinks and comforting greens are evocative of the delicate femininity that filled Paris this fall season. “The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli,” at Lévy Gorvy Dayan For the first time since his 1969 solo presentation at Sidney Janis Gallery at New York, discover the meticulous world of Domenico Gnoli, presented at Lèvy Gorvy Dayan through May 23. The Italian painter often drew his own inspirations from the tactile and textile worlds, reimagining something as simple as a waistband or shirt collar through his own indefinable lens—not unlike some of today’s suiting masters. “Robert Rauschenberg’s New York,” at the Museum of the City of New York A jack-of-all-trades of 20th-century art, Robert Rauschenberg both pre-dated and defined the mixed-media movements. Equally as unique were his photographs. Confident, raw, and mysterious, a large selection of his photography is now on view at the Museum of the City of New York through April 19. In many of his snapshots, his subjects are portrayed directly, not unlike the plain and unsubtle representation of sex that stomped down Demna’s Gucci runway. “Performance Canceled,” by Adèle Aproh at Scroll In “Performance Canceled,” at Scroll until April 25, artist Adèle Arpoh examines getting-ready rituals for a performance that never quite takes place. She portrays the chaos of a group scene: the painting of their faces, the stages of dress and undress, all in a constant state of transition, not unlike the backstage atmosphere of a runway show. Her vibrant colors are certainly for the kookier bunch, calling back to some of the more springtime pieces seen in the fall 2026 collections.
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