This May, New York becomes the epicentre of the art world, hosting two of the year's most anticipated events. Frieze New York 2025 takes over The Shed from 7–11 May, while TEFAF presents museum-quality masterpieces at the Park Avenue Armory from 9–13 May. Beyond the fairs, the city will be brimming with unmissable exhibitions. With so much to explore, here are the top shows to prioritise between fair hopping!

The Frick Collection | from 17 April 2025

Don’t miss the newly reopened Frick Collection after its four-year renovation. After admiring the Vermeers and Rembrandts, head to the second floor to discover the private quarters of Henry Clay Frick and his wife, now open to visitors for the first time.

Rashid Johnson: A Poem For Deep Thinkers | Guggenheim Museum | 18 April 2025 – 18 January 2026

Encompassing the museum’s rotunda, along with an outdoor sculpture, this mid-career survey of one of the biggest names in contemporary American art explores themes of social alienation, rebirth, and escapism.

The Roof Garden Commission: Jennie C. Jones, Ensemble | The Met | 15 April - 19 October 2025

In a unique response to modernism, Jennie C. Jones examines the sonic potential of stringed instruments as well as their formal possibilities and proposes the line of the string as a proxy for art history, unbroken and continuous.

Michael Armitage: Crucible | David Zwirner 533 West 19th Street | 8 May 8 - 27 June 2025

David Zwirner opens its new Chelsea space with a solo exhibition by Michael Armitage, featuring 11 paintings and 14 carved-teak panels. The works explore themes of migration, continuing the artist’s in-depth examination of Kenyan life, each piece imbued with a surreal, dream-like quality.

Jack Whitten: The Messenger | MoMA | 23 March - 2 August 2025

This major retrospective examines 60 years of Whitten’s career through 175 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper that consider themes of race, war, consciousness, technology, jazz, and love.