8 drawing and works-on-paper shows are on view across New York City this May. Graphite, charcoal, ink, watercolor, pastel, and silverpoint — the discipline of the line in every NYC neighborhood the gallery scene reaches.
Below is the full list — title, artist, gallery, neighborhood, and end date — pulled live from the Gallop database. Every gallery is in NYC.
1. The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli by Domenico Gnoli at Lévy Gorvy Dayan
Domenico Gnoli, The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli at Lévy Gorvy Dayan, Upper East Side. Through May 24, 2026.
The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli is at Lévy Gorvy Dayan, 19 E 64th St, Upper East Side, on view Mar 18 – May 24, 2026. Lévy Gorvy Dayan is delighted to present The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli, the largest exhibition of works by the artist in the United States in more than five decades, following his celebrated 1969 solo presentation at Sidney Janis Gallery, New York.
2. The Pursuit of Harmony by Henri Matisse at Acquavella Galleries
Henri Matisse, The Pursuit of Harmony at Acquavella Galleries, Upper East Side. Through May 23, 2026.
The Pursuit of Harmony is at Acquavella Galleries, 18 East 79th Street, Upper East Side, on view Apr 9 – May 23, 2026. Acquavella Galleries is pleased to present Matisse: The Pursuit of Harmony, an exhibition featuring fifty paintings, works on paper, and sculpture by Henri Matisse on loan from museums, foundations, and private collections.
3. Spring Accrochage at Nicole Klagsbrun
Spring Accrochage at Nicole Klagsbrun, Chelsea. Through May 23, 2026.
Spring Accrochage is at Nicole Klagsbrun, 526 W 26th St, Room 318, Chelsea, on view Mar 9 – May 23, 2026. Devendra Banhart (Houston, Texas, 1981) is an internationally renowned musician considered a pioneer of the "freak folk" and "New Weird America" movements. His musical work exists symbiotically alongside his visual practice; both manifest as immediate, uncensored notations from his imagination.
4. Champs Délicieux by Aura Rosenberg & Egon Schiele at Meredith Rosen
Aura Rosenberg & Egon Schiele, Champs Délicieux at Meredith Rosen, Hell's Kitchen. Through May 24, 2026.
Champs Délicieux is at Meredith Rosen, 327 W 36th St, 6th Floor, Hell's Kitchen, on view Apr 24 – May 24, 2026. Meredith Rosen is pleased to present an exhibition by Aura Rosenberg and Egon Schiele. Pairing a new series of Rosenberg’s paintings on oilcloth with rare Schiele drawings, the exhibition explores eroticism as an entanglement of ordinary pleasures where bodily limits transform through material exploration.
5. Eldridge & Mulberry by Lee Brozgol & Charles Jarm at Steven S. Powers | Joshua Lowenfels
Eldridge & Mulberry is at Steven S. Powers | Joshua Lowenfels, 53 Stanton St, Lower East Side, on view Apr 15 – May 24, 2026. Steven S. Powers | Joshua Lowenfels presents Lee Brozgol & Charles Jarm: Eldridge & Mulberry. This exhibit is hyper-local—our gallery is located at Stanton & Eldridge, while Brozgol worked on Eldridge, and Jarm close by on Mulberry Street. Lee Brozgol’s “Tenement Series,” graphite drawings from the late 70s to early 80s, depict the gritty Lower East Side that Brozgol (former.
6. Works on Paper: A Survey by Marina Adams at Peter Blum
Marina Adams, Works on Paper: A Survey at Peter Blum, Little Italy. Through May 30, 2026.
Works on Paper: A Survey is at Peter Blum, 176 Grand St, Little Italy, on view Apr 9 – May 30, 2026. Peter Blum Gallery is pleased to present the exhibition by Marina Adams entitled, Works on Paper: A Survey. Spanning over three decades from 1994 to 2025, this marks the first exhibition dedicated to surveying the New York and Italy based artist's works on paper. Marina Adams has developed a dynamic practice of clear and powerful abstract language that explores the possibili.
Plan twenty to thirty minutes; most NYC galleries are closed Mondays. Check the gallery's posted hours before you go.
7. Tournament by Kai Jenrette at Island
Kai Jenrette, Tournament at Island, Chinatown. Through May 31, 2026.
Tournament is at Island, 83 Bowery, 2nd Floor, Chinatown, on view Apr 17 – May 31, 2026. Island is thrilled to present Tournament, a solo exhibition by Kai Jenrette. The exhibition’s title references duckpin, a sport similar to 10-pin bowling, but smaller in scale. The drawings and sculptures included in the exhibition leave themselves open to the forces of gravity and the slight irregularities of the gallery itself, while recirculating the common materials used in.
8. Mesas/Mountains/Sky by Kay WalkingStick at Hales
Kay WalkingStick, Mesas/Mountains/Sky at Hales, Chelsea. Through May 31, 2026.
Mesas/Mountains/Sky is at Hales, 547 W 20th St, Chelsea, on view Apr 11 – May 31, 2026. Hales is delighted to present Mesas/Mountains/Sky, a solo exhibition of new and recent landscape paintings by Kay WalkingStick at our New York gallery. The exhibition is WalkingStick's third with Hales, and follows the major presentation of works from this series in the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (2024) as well as the ongoing touring exhibition.
How to plan a walk
Drawing shows reward quiet attention; cluster Chelsea (C/E to 23rd), Tribeca/Chinatown (1 to Franklin or F to East Broadway), and the Upper East Side (4/5/6 to 77th or 86th) into separate weekend afternoons. Use Gallop's map to save shows by subway stop.
What drawing shows should I see in NYC in May 2026?
Strong works-on-paper shows are spread across Chelsea, Chinatown, Tribeca, and the Upper East Side — from large-scale charcoal to silverpoint to ink-wash and watercolor. The list below is the curated subset on view right now.
Are works-on-paper shows different from drawing shows?
Slightly — 'works on paper' is a broader term that includes drawings plus watercolors, prints, collage, and pastels. 'Drawings' usually means graphite, charcoal, ink, or chalk. Most NYC galleries use the terms interchangeably.
Why are drawings often hung in smaller rooms?
Conservation. Most paper works are light-sensitive and best viewed at lower lux levels than oil paintings, which is why drawing rooms are sometimes darker and more intimate.
Can I buy works on paper at NYC galleries?
Yes. Drawings and works on paper are typically the most accessible entry point at NYC galleries — prices are often a fraction of paintings by the same artist. Email the gallery for a checklist or ask the front desk for a price list.
