William Wegman and the recent exhibitions in 2026
Published on 08/27/2026 at 10:04 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
William Wegman remains a reference point for conceptual photography and video built around his Weimaraners and deadpan humor. In 2026 his work anchors several exhibitions and fair projects that trace his transition from early video pieces to large-format Polaroids and recent prints, as gallery and museum sources show.
Private Show in Beverly Hills
The strongest current focus on William Wegman’s photographic work is William Wegman: Private Show at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in Beverly Hills, running from July 18 to September 5, 2026, as the gallery’s exhibition listing details.Marc Selwyn Fine Art exhibitions page
The show pairs rare vintage photographs and video works from the 1970s with later images that expand the visual strategies Wegman developed early on, including staged canine portraits and language-driven sight gags, according to the Los Angeles gallery platform’s exhibition overview.GalleryPlatform.LA exhibition overview
Polaroids and atrium works in 2026
Beyond Beverly Hills, Wegman’s work appears in 60 Seconds: Polaroids from the Collection at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, where his unique 1990 color Polaroid Dotted Rhythm is shown among instant photographs by Marina Abramovic, Dawoud Bey and Andy Warhol, as the museum’s collection note highlights.ArtDaily report on Norton Museum exhibitions
In Phoenix, Lisa Sette Gallery presents an atrium display titled In the Atrium: Works by William Wegman, on view from June 6 to September 26, 2026, which places selected works within a broader summer program and notes his early inclusion in exhibitions such as When Attitudes Become Form and Documenta V, underscoring his long-standing institutional presence.Meer overview of Lisa Sette Gallery events
All news and background on William Wegman
Further coverage on William Wegman’s exhibitions, video works and Polaroid projects can be found via the AD HOC NEWS archive, from London screenings to U.S. collection highlights.
The work core in photography and video
William Wegman is best known for studio-based photography and video that treats his Weimaraner dogs as performers in concise, often absurd scenarios. Early black-and-white photographs and short video pieces from the 1970s set the tone with language games and conceptual deadpan.
Later, his large-format 20 x 24 inch Polaroids, produced with a rare instant camera, shifted the work toward lush color and staged tableaux, turning the animals into costumed actors within art-historical, architectural or graphic settings, while maintaining a strict sense of timing and brevity.
Where the artist stands now
On August 27, 2026 William Wegman’s work is on view in multiple 2026 exhibitions, including the Beverly Hills Private Show, the atrium presentation in Phoenix and the Polaroid-focused collection display in West Palm Beach.
William Wegman at a glance
- Artist: William Wegman
- Medium / Genre: Photography and video (conceptual, canine portraits)
- Born: 1943, Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States
- Place(s) of practice: Studio-based practice in the United States
- Active since: Late 1960s, with early inclusion in When Attitudes Become Form and Documenta V
- Key work groups: Early Video Works 1970-77, 20 x 24 Polaroids, Weimaraner Studio Portraits, Conceptual Text Pieces
- Current/last exhibition: William Wegman: Private Show, Marc Selwyn Fine Art, Beverly Hills, July 18 – September 5, 2026
- Major collections: Norton Museum of Art (West Palm Beach), Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Addison Gallery of American Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Awards: Various grants and commissions documented across U.S. institutions
- Next date: Currently no announced date in the 30-day window
Frequently asked questions about William Wegman
Where can William Wegman’s work be seen in 2026?
In 2026 Wegman’s work is present at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in Beverly Hills, in an atrium display at Lisa Sette Gallery in Phoenix and within the exhibition 60 Seconds: Polaroids from the Collection at the Norton Museum of Art.
What is shown in William Wegman: Private Show?
Private Show in Beverly Hills combines rare vintage photographs and video works from the 1970s with later images, highlighting how Wegman’s early strategies of staging and word play extend into his mature canine portraits and studio scenes.
How are Wegman’s Polaroids positioned in museum collections?
At the Norton Museum of Art the unique color Polaroid Dotted Rhythm from 1990 appears alongside instant photographs by Marina Abramovic, Dawoud Bey and Andy Warhol, marking Wegman as a key figure in the history of Polaroid-based art.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
