International Artists Debuting in NYC (May 2026)
8 international artists are making their NYC or US gallery debut this May — artists based in London, Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, Tokyo, Seoul, Lagos, Mumbai, and beyond, all showing at New York galleries for the first time. Every gallery below is in the five boroughs.
Below: the list — show title, artist, gallery, neighborhood, end date — with a sentence on the artist's hometown and what's traveled to New York.
1. New York Days by Maï Lucas at Dashwood Projects
- Show
- New York Days
- Artist
- Maï Lucas
- Gallery
- Dashwood Projects
- Address
- 63 E 4th St, East Village
- On view
- Apr 9, 2026 – May 24, 2026
New York Days is at Dashwood Projects, 63 E 4th St, East Village, on view Apr 9 – May 24, 2026. Dashwood Projects, our gallery space at East 4th Street—between Bowery and Second Avenue just a few blocks from Dashwood Books, opened March 14, 2024. It is an experimental space to extend the life and boundaries of our publishing program dedicated to exhibitions and selling work by artists we've collaborated with over the years. One summer evening in 1986, Maï Lucas arrived.
2. Love Songs by Yeni Mao at Sargent's Daughters
- Show
- Love Songs
- Artist
- Yeni Mao
- Gallery
- Sargent's Daughters
- Address
- 370 Broadway, Chinatown
- On view
- May 8, 2026 – May 31, 2026
Love Songs is at Sargent's Daughters, 370 Broadway, Chinatown, on view May 8 – May 31, 2026. Sargent's Daughters is delighted to present a solo exhibition of Mexico City-based sculptor Yeni Mao (b. 1971, Canada), in conjunction with Mao's solo presentation at Frieze New York 2026. Love Songs features a constellation of Mao's recent sculptures that cradle found or bronze-cast objects in nickel-plated steel armatures, each work enacting a negotiation between control and.
3. In a Cowslip’s Bell I Lie by Debbie Lawson at Sargent's Daughters
- Artist
- Debbie Lawson
- Gallery
- Sargent's Daughters
- Address
- 370 Broadway, Chinatown
- On view
- Apr 23, 2026 – May 31, 2026
In a Cowslip’s Bell I Lie is at Sargent's Daughters, 370 Broadway, Chinatown, on view Apr 23 – May 31, 2026. Sargent's Daughters is delighted to present In a Cowslip's Bell I Lie, a solo exhibition of new works by British multimedia artist Debbie Lawson, which is her second solo with the gallery and her largest exhibition in the United States to date.
4. Nuclear Eden by Harrison Haft at Collective Z Gallery
- Show
- Nuclear Eden
- Artist
- Harrison Haft
- Gallery
- Collective Z Gallery
- Address
- 325 Broome St, Lower East Side
- On view
- May 6, 2026 – May 31, 2026
Nuclear Eden is at Collective Z Gallery, 325 Broome St, Lower East Side, on view May 6 – May 31, 2026. Collective Z is pleased to present Nuclear Eden, the first New York solo exhibition of painter and filmmaker Harrison Haft. The exhibition envisions an irradiated paradise — an after-state in which inherited beliefs collapse and recombine rather than vanish.
5. Shimijimi: Dyed and Inlaid Textiles by Shigeki Fukumoto at Ippodo Gallery
- Artist
- Shigeki Fukumoto
- Gallery
- Ippodo Gallery
- Address
- 35 N Moore St, Tribeca
- On view
- Apr 30, 2026 – Jun 7, 2026
Shimijimi: Dyed and Inlaid Textiles is at Ippodo Gallery, 35 N Moore St, Tribeca, on view Apr 30 – Jun 7, 2026. Ippodo Gallery is pleased to present Shimijimi: Dyed and Inlaid Textiles by Shigeki Fukumoto, the master dyer's first New York solo exhibition and debut at Ippodo Gallery. The exhibition of dyed Japanese cloth features more than twenty two-dimensional works and folding screens from across three decades of his distinguished career.
6. Dear New York by Cat Spilman at Isabel Sullivan
- Show
- Dear New York
- Artist
- Cat Spilman
- Gallery
- Isabel Sullivan
- Address
- 501 W 23rd St, Chelsea
- On view
- May 7, 2026 – Jun 8, 2026
Dear New York is at Isabel Sullivan, 501 W 23rd St, Chelsea, on view May 7 – Jun 8, 2026. Cat Spilman (b. 1990) is now based in London, UK, but in her heart she is forever a New Yorker. She moved to New York when she was 18 to go to School of Visual Arts, located just a few blocks east of Isabel Sullivan Gallery where she is having her first US solo show "Dear New York". After graduation, Cat had nearly a decade-long career painting sets for film and television i.
7. David Hammons & Jannis Kounellis by David Hammons & Jannis Kounellis at White Cube
- Artist
- David Hammons & Jannis Kounellis
- Gallery
- White Cube
- Address
- 1002 Madison Ave, Upper East Side
- On view
- Apr 30, 2026 – Jun 14, 2026
David Hammons & Jannis Kounellis is at White Cube, 1002 Madison Ave, Upper East Side, on view Apr 30 – Jun 14, 2026. White Cube presents an exhibition of works by American artist David Hammons (b.1943) and the late Greek-Italian artist Jannis Kounellis (1936–2017), marking the first two-person exhibition of their work in over 30 years.
8. Karla Black by Karla Black at Rodder
- Show
- Karla Black
- Artist
- Karla Black
- Gallery
- Rodder
- Address
- 22 E 80th St, 5th Floor, Upper East Side
- On view
- May 5, 2026 – Jun 19, 2026
Karla Black is at Rodder, 22 E 80th St, 5th Floor, Upper East Side, on view May 5 – Jun 19, 2026. Rodder is pleased to present Karla Black, the artist’s debut exhibition with the gallery and her first exhibition in New York since 2016. For this exhibition, Black transforms the gallery into a Rococo interior, painting directly on large mirrors with Baroque silhouettes, their scale and contours recalling palatial splendour, the dream of a bygone era marked with overexcess.
How to plan a walk
Cluster downtown debuts (F to East Broadway, 1 to Franklin) on a Saturday afternoon and Chelsea (C/E to 23rd) on a Sunday. International debut shows often come with a printed essay or interview; pick one up at the front desk.
On the map
13 galleries · Open the full NYC map →
Frequently asked
Why do galleries program international artists' US debuts?
New York remains the densest market for contemporary art globally. A US debut at an NYC gallery is often an artist's introduction to American collectors, curators, and critics.
Are these artists touring from European or Asian galleries?
Some are — many NYC galleries co-represent artists with European or Asian galleries, and exhibitions sometimes travel. Others are first-time presentations made specifically for the NYC space.
How can I tell if an artist has shown in the US before?
The press release usually states explicitly — 'first US solo,' 'New York debut,' 'first American exhibition.' If unsure, ask the front desk; gallery staff know the artist's CV.
Where can I learn more about international artists' practices?
Most NYC galleries with international debuts produce printed press materials and online essays. Many also program an artist talk during the run — check the gallery's website for events.
