A spectacle of rare and extraordinary beauty converges this season.
From the sun-drenched streets of Melbourne to the cultural heart of London and closer to home in Kuala Lumpur, the art and fashion world is alive with unmissable exhibitions this June. These are the exhibitions worth travelling for, worth standing in line for, and worth remembering long after you’ve left the gallery. From personal histories to enduring icons and artistic masterworks, here’s a roundup of the most compelling exhibitions to catch worldwide.
All the best art and fashion exhibitions to see worldwide in June 2026:
A Path Carved By My Returning, Dia Space, Kuala Lumpur
2 May – 23 July 2026
Presented at Dia Space, A Path Carved By My Returning is an exercise in looking harder at what we have long stopped seeing: ‘the art of searching for significance in everyday life’. Working in oil pastels for the first time, artist Ilham Alshahab builds each piece from fully painted surfaces before carving into them—a subtractive process that mirrors the way a path is formed: through return, through memory, through the slow accumulation of presence. What emerges beneath the surface is not just line and detail, but something closer to revelation.
Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait, National Portrait Gallery, London
Marilyn Monroe is seen in a ballerina satin dress sitting on a wicker chair with her bare foot on the ground. Photo by Milton H. Greene
4 June – 6 September
From her trademark red lips to the platinum curls and solidified sex-symbol status, Marilyn Monroe was—and still is—an icon to many of us today. Known for her defining presence in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and her performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, the American sweetheart would have turned 100 years old this year. Paying tribute to her birthday, the National Portrait Gallery is presenting an exhibition celebrating the life and work of the iconic star through portraits by photographers and artists such as Andy Warhol, Cecil Beaton, Pauline Boty and Richard Avedon. Highlights include previously unseen photographs from Life magazine, intimate portraits taken by Allan Grant at Monroe’s Brentwood residence just one day before her death in August 1962. The spectacle will also include personal belongings such as books, scripts and clothes that defined the woman she was.
Cartier Melbourne Winter Masterpieces 2026, National Gallery Victoria, Melbourne
12 June – 4 October
Through an illustrative and theatrical spectacle, Cartier is tracing the evolution of the Maison’s enduring legacy in art, design and savoir-faire. With more than 300 extraordinary objects—from precious jewels and historic gemstones to iconic watches and clocks —the “Cartier Melbourne Winter Masterpieces 2026” exhibition will showcase iconic pieces such as the panther brooch, the Tank watch, and the mystery clock, all under one roof. Even design drawings from the Cartier archives will illuminate the halls of the National Gallery of Victoria. Wandering through the gallery, you’ll see that the variety and extent of the collection tell you no one can do it like Cartier.
Frida: The Making of an Icon, Tate Modern, London
25 June 2026 – 3 January 2027
From well-loved paintings to documents, photographs and memorabilia, the “Frida: The Making of an Icon” exhibition lets you step into the life and legacy of the revolutionary artist. The spectacle shows you the many layers of the artist—the dedicated wife, the intellectual, the modern artist and the political activist. Organised by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, this exhibition sheds a fascinating light on the notion of freedom, the transformative role of women artists in the 20th century and diverse communities.
