Kenny Scharf: Pop Surrealism at the Thyssen Museum

Dazzling colours, fantastical anthropomorphic creatures and constant nods to popular culture. The Thyssen brings Kenny Scharf, one of the key figures of New York's 1980s East Village scene. 🎨🌈

The show is part of the programme devoted to the Blanca and Borja Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection and fills the Postpop galleries on the first floor.

🎨 KENNY SCHARF

📅 29 September 2026 to 17 January 2027

🕐 Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm · Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm · Monday, 12 noon to 4 pm

📍 Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Postpop galleries · Paseo del Prado, 8

🎟️ General admission €14 · Free on Mondays from 12 noon to 4 pm

🌈 Who is Kenny Scharf

Born in Los Angeles in 1958, he shared the scene with Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, with Andy Warhol as his mentor. He is one of the pioneers of street art and coined the label for his own work: "pop surrealism".

He blends popular culture and Surrealism across painting, sculpture, murals, installations and even fashion. The result feels almost immersive, intimate and overwhelming at once.

🏛️ From the Whitney Biennial to museums

Taking part in the 1985 Whitney Biennial launched him internationally. Today his work is in museums in the United States, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan.

ℹ️ Good to know: it is part of the permanent collection, so general admission covers it. Under-18s go free.

✨ The 1980s East Village, in full colour on the Paseo del Prado.