Art exhibitions to see in Copenhagen Spring 2026
Copenhagenβs exhibition programme for spring 2026 offers an exceptional mix of international names, thoughtful group shows, and cross-institution collaborations. From explorations of artificial intelligence and the human body to focused presentations of works on paper and ambitious surveys of design history, these are the art exhibitions not to miss in Copenhagen through spring and into summer 2026.
Soft Robots: The Art of Digital Breathing
Soft Robots, A.A. Murakami β Beyond the Horizon (2024) Installation view at Copenhagen Contemporary, 2025 Photo: David Stjernholm / @david_stjernholm
#FLODown: Soft Robots: The Art of Digital Breathing at Copenhagen Contemporary brings together 15 international and Danish artists exploring the evolving relationship between technology, biology, and human experience. The exhibition considers how artificial intelligence, robotics, and synthetic systems intersect with emotion and the body, questioning whether machines can hold sensitivity and how technological innovation shapes our understanding of what it means to be human. The exhibition includes works by artists such as A.A. Murakami, Alice Bucknell, Ayoung Kim, Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst, Takashi Murakami, Yunchul Kim, and more.
Date: 20 June 2025 β 19 April 2026. Location: Copenhagen Contemporary, Refshalevej 173A, 1432 KΓΈbenhavn K, Denmark. Price: Adult 140 DKK; Students 95 DKK ; Under 18 25 DKK. Book now
Copenhagen Pieces II: The Council for Visual Art 2022β2025
Copenhagen Pieces II: The Council for Visual Art 2022β2025, Nikolaj Kunsthal. Image credit MTotoe/FLO London
#FLODown: This fantastic exhibition at Nikolaj Kunsthal presents over 230 works acquired by the Council for Visual Art between 2022 and 2025, showcasing the breadth and vitality of contemporary Danish and international art. Featuring artists such as Jens Haaning, Apolonia Sokol, Noah Umur Kanber, Tine Bek, and Inuuteq Storch, the exhibition spans all floors of the museum. Photographs and statements illustrate how these works are integrated into public institutions, workplaces, libraries, and schools, highlighting the role of art in everyday life beyond traditional museum settings. We would love to see a similar exhibition in London, one that highlights recent public art acquisitions and shows how contemporary works can connect with people across civic spaces, schools, and offices.
Date: 6β―Februaryβ―ββ―6β―Aprilβ―2026. Location: Nikolaj Kunsthal, Nikolaj Pladsβ―10, 1067β―KΓΈbenhavnβ―K, Denmark. Price: Adult 110 DKK; Underβ―18 free. Book now
Basquiat: Headstrong
Installation view, Basquiat: Headstrong. Image credit Camilla Stephan/ Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
#FLODown: Headstrong is a major solo exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, presenting Jean-Michel Basquiatβs works on paper and his intimate explorations of the human head. This is the artistβs first solo presentation in a Scandinavian museum, focusing on works created between 1981 and 1983, many of which Basquiat kept private during his lifetime. Executed in oil stick on paper and largely free of the text and symbols typically associated with his practice, these works provide a rare and personal insight into his artistic process. The exhibition also situates Basquiatβs cultural status within a broader contemporary dialogue, featuring talks and reflections from artists and thinkers including Alvaro Barrington, Doug Woodham, Arthur Jafa, Julie Mehretu, Dana Schutz, and Ouattara Watts. Part of Louisianaβs distinguished series on works on paper, the show follows presentations of artists such as Philip Guston, David Hockney, Nancy Spero, Vija Celmins, George Condo, Richard Prince, and Ed Ruscha.
Although a little way outside Copenhagen (approximately 40 mins via train), visiting Louisiana is well worth the journey, not only for Basquiatβs exhibition but also to experience the museumβs beautiful seaside location, sculpture park, and exceptional modernist architecture.
Date: 30β―Januaryβ―ββ―17β―Mayβ―2026. Location: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Gammel Strandvejβ―13, 3050β―HumlebΓ¦k, Denmark. Price: Adult 145 DKK; Students/concessions 130 DKK; Underβ―18 free. Book now
Alia Farid: A Sounding of the Earth
Courtesy the artist and Sfeir-Semler Gallery Beirut / Hamburg
#FLODown: A Sounding of the Earth is a joint exhibition by Glyptoteket and Copenhagen Contemporary, highlighting the practice of KuwaitiβPuerto Rican artist Alia Farid. Her projects combine ancient artefacts with modern industrial materials to examine how ecosystems, societies, and communities in the Arabian Gulf are shaped by resource extraction and political forces, while emphasising their resilience. At Glyptoteket, her sculptures and site-specific works engage with the museumβs historical collections, while at Copenhagen Contemporary, large-scale installations continue this exploration through contrasting materials and forms.
Dates: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek: 2β―Octoberβ―2025β―ββ―31β―Mayβ―2026; Copenhagen Contemporary: 2β―Octoberβ―2025β―ββ―23β―Marchβ―2026. Locations: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek: Dantes Pladsβ―7, 1556β―KΓΈbenhavnβ―V, Denmark; Copenhagen Contemporary: Refshalevejβ―173A, 1432β―KΓΈbenhavnβ―K, Denmark. Price: Copenhagen Contemporary: Adult 140 DKKβ―; Students 95 DKK; Under 18 25 DKK. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek: Adult 135 DKKβ―; Under 27s 108 DKK; Under 18 Free. glyptoteket.com
Japan Modern Poster
JAPAN MODERN POSTER, Designmuseum Danmark. Image credit Andrea Sonne
#FLODown: Japan Modern Poster is a major exhibition at Designmuseum Danmark presenting 110 iconic Japanese posters from the 1950s to the present. The show traces the development of modern Japanese graphic design, from the pioneering post-war generation to internationally celebrated designers of the 1960s, and on to todayβs innovative digital-age creators. The posters are engaging, often humorous, and thought-provoking, reflecting Japanβs cultural transformations and social concerns, including calls for peace and commentary on contemporary issues. The exhibition also highlights the dialogue between Western modernist design and traditional Japanese aesthetics. A specially commissioned poster by acclaimed designer Shin Matsunaga draws a visual connection between the Danish and Japanese flags, emphasising their shared simplicity and symbolism. Curated with the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion, this is the largest exhibition in the museumβs history dedicated to Japanese poster design.
Date: 6β―Februaryβ―ββ―9β―Augustβ―2026. Location: Designmuseum Danmark, Bredgadeβ―68, 1260β―KΓΈbenhavnβ―K, Denmark. Price: Adult 140 DKK; Students/underβ―27s 90 DKK; Underβ―18 free. Book now
