If you’re like me and love immersing yourself in art that inspires, challenges, and transports you — then this spring’s gallery lineup in New York is a must. I just read Cultured Magazine’s roundup of 12 must-see shows this season, and it’s overflowing with creativity, storytelling, and cultural power. While I haven’t made my rounds yet, I already have my eye on a few exhibitions that are officially at the top of my list.
A Poem for Deep Thinkers
Rashid Johnson’s ‘The Broken Five’ (2019). Photo: Martin Parsekian
???? Guggenheim Museum
???? Through September 2025
This introspective exhibition turns the Guggenheim into a spiraling meditation on memory, identity, and emotion. Anchored by the work of acclaimed artist Rashid Johnson, the show explores how personal and collective histories intersect across media. Johnson’s presence adds emotional weight, particularly in his signature use of materials—mirrors, shea butter, and tile—that reflect both selfhood and vulnerability. It’s quietly powerful and impossible to forget.
Exploring the Feminine Subconscious at François Ghebaly
Artwork by Oda Iselin Sønderland. Image courtesy of the artist and François Ghebaly.
???? François Ghebaly
???? Through April 26
This three-woman exhibition featuring Elizabeth Glaessner, Asami Shoji, and Oda Iselin Sønderland is a fever dream of myth, memory, and metamorphosis. Glaessner’s poured pigments bring to life fluid, shape-shifting bodies. Shoji’s works are ghostly and erotic, while Sønderland delves into Nordic folklore and girlhood. Each artist explores their own internal landscapes, but together, they paint an emotionally charged portrait of the feminine subconscious. I’m drawn to this one for its symbolism and surreal storytelling.
Thaddeus Mosley’s Sculptural Jazz at Karma
Thaddeus Mosley, Flight Form, 2023. Image courtesy of the artist and Karma.
???? Karma
???? April 17 – May 24
Thaddeus Mosley’s Sculptural Jazz at Karma
In Proximity, Thaddeus Mosley proves that artistic vitality knows no age. Now in his late 90s, the Pittsburgh-based sculptor is still carving by hand with only a chisel and mallet. Using salvaged Pennsylvania hardwoods, he transforms sycamore, cherry, and walnut into soaring abstract forms that feel at once ancient and entirely alive. Each sculpture plays like a jazz solo — intuitive, dynamic, and deeply rooted in tradition. This one’s a masterclass in physical storytelling.
Design Nostalgia Meets Fantasy at Ortuzar Projects
Takako Yamaguchi, Innocent Bystander #4, 1988. Image courtesy of the artist and Ortuzar.
Takako Yamaguchi’s lush, detailed paintings blend Japanese ornamentation with Art Nouveau swirls and Renaissance nudes — a cocktail of pastiche that feels both historical and fantastically subversive. I love that her work challenges traditional art history narratives with such beauty and irreverence.
And For the Must-See of All Must-Sees: Elizabeth Colomba at Venus Over Manhattan
Elizabeth Colomba, The Magician, 2025. Image courtesy of the artist and Venus Over Manhattan.
???? Saint Laurent Rive Droite (NYC Preview TBA)
???? Milan: April 8–13
This one’s on my absolute must-visit list. Elizabeth Colomba’s debut solo show reclaims mythology and historical portraiture by placing Black women at the center — majestic, powerful, and resplendent. Her newest work, The Magician, channels Afro-Caribbean iconography and occult symbolism, and the visuals alone are enough to make me drop everything and head to the gallery.
NYC is a feast this season, and these exhibitions are the main course. Whether you’re wandering through Chelsea or planning a weekend uptown, let these shows guide you. Art, after all, is one of the best ways to reconnect—with beauty, with ideas, and maybe even with yourself.
Which of these exhibitions are on your list? Let me know what you’re planning to see — I’ll be checking out a few of these this month myself.
