Art Shows I’m Excited About in 2025
Come for the hot takes on consumer crypto and tech virality, stay for the art shows I’m most excited about in 2025.
Growing up, I collected everything—Beanie Babies, Pokémon cards, baseball memorabilia. I’ve always been a collector of things. So when my wife and I moved into our first apartment, I became obsessed with starting a collection together. What we settled on was filling our walls with art.
As a trad art collector, I’ve found there still isn’t a go-to resource for recommendations on upcoming shows. You practically have to be in the trenches of the art world—and calling it unapproachable for young collectors feels like the understatement of the century. That’s why I’m sharing the 2025 shows I’m most excited for.
Mònica Subidé at Nino Mier Gallery, New York (January 9 – February 8, 2025)
Mònica’s work is simply likable. She creates dreamlike paintings on linen that remind me of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso—a high compliment for any contemporary painter. Yet her work remains fresh and original. Her next solo show, I Don’t Walk, I Fly, opens at Nino’s Soho location (right by Balthazar) in January 2025, and I can’t wait to stop by when I’m in town.
Karel Dicker at FOG Design+Art, San Francisco (January 23–26, 2025)
We moved back to the Bay Area just in time for SF Art Week, which centers around the FOG fair at Fort Mason. The artist I’m most excited to see there is Karel Dicker. He crafts amazing handmade walnut frames for his paintings, and as a collector, I find these “artist’s frames” almost as compelling as the paintings themselves. They’re nearly works of art on their own, and I can’t wait to see them in person.
Chechu Álava at Megan Mulrooney Gallery, West Hollywood (May 2025)
Megan Mulrooney Gallery opened just this past September in West Hollywood, and I’ve been blown away by their programming so far. They’re poised for a stellar first full year in 2025, and I’m particularly excited about Chechu Álava’s solo show in May, whose work blew me away at EXPO Chicago last year.
Alexis Ralaivao at Kasmin, New York (May 2025)
Modern takes on classic masterpieces is a trend surging in popularity, and Alexis Ralaivao is leading the charge. A self-taught millennial painter, he creates stunning contemporary interpretations of Italian masters’ iconic still lifes, much like how Anna Weyant has reimagined the Dutch Golden Age. I can’t wait to see this show.
Jean Nipon at C L E A R I N G, New York (September 2025)
If you read my Article yesterday, this one won’t surprise you. I’ve been obsessed with Jean Nipon’s work ever since I saw his Renaissance-inspired colored pencil pieces at NADA New York a few years ago. His precision with colored pencils is insane, and his upcoming solo show at C L E A R I N G this fall promises to be incredible.
That’s it. If you agree there’s a hole in the market for art show recommendations, let me know on Twitter (@dylanabruscato) and I’ll keep up this series—or maybe even start a newsletter with a recurring section on upcoming art shows.
In the meantime, thanks for reading these first four posts. It really means a lot. Have the happiest new year. Maybe I’ll be back tomorrow.