In a surprising turnabout, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art canceled a John Galliano exhibition that was due to open next spring, in what would have been the Costume Institute’s big May 2027 show, held in tandem with the notorious Met Gala.
The show had faced controversy from the start, as many fixed on antisemitic and anti-Asian comments made by Galliano more than a decade ago. He was convicted of a hate crime in France in 2011.
The designer previously apologized for those comments and sought mental health counseling, and the Met said it had conferred with Jewish groups in the making of its Galliano exhibition. But neither was enough to assuage the concerns of politicians and public figures who had pushed the museum to cancel the show since its announcement at the end of July.
The cancelation came just a few days after the New York Times published a report detailing those criticisms, which had been largely waged in emails to curators and leadership at the Met. One of those critics was Pace Gallery founder Arne Glimcher, who reportedly threatened to withhold artworks that he was planning to donate to the Met following his passing. According to the Times, board members were going to meet to discuss the shape of the exhibition going forward.
As the Times report noted, the Met Gala, an extravagant event held in tandem with the Costume Institute’s spring show, is typically held on the first Monday in May. In 2027, that Monday is Yom HaShoah, the day of international Holocaust remembrance.
In a statement, Met director Max Hollein said the museum had called off the show amid “thoughtful discussions with John Galliano.”
The release about the cancelation also featured a three-paragraph comment from Galliano, who reiterated his apology for his prior comments.
“After much reflection and discussion with The Met and all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time,” Galliano said in a statement. “I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry for it. I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture. It is a continuing responsibility, demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time.”
The British designer continued, “I do not want the debate surrounding me to place The Met in a difficult position or to distract from the remarkable work of the Costume Institute. I also recognise and respect that an exhibition honouring my work would be painful for some. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have guided, supported and accompanied me throughout these fifteen years of sobriety and recovery from alcoholism and addiction. Your wisdom, patience and humanity have helped me more than I can ever adequately express.”
Andrew Bolton, the curator in charge of the Costume Institute, said that he recognized “the pain and concern this exhibition has caused. After extensive discussion, I support the decision not to proceed.”
Former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, a Met trustee who chairs the Met Gala and has helped shape the Costume Institute, called the move “the right decision” in a sparse, two-sentence statement. She also described Galliano as “courageous.”
It was not clear what would replace the Galliano show, but it appeared that the Met would still stage its Met Gala next year. The museum promised further details on that gala and the Costume Institute show staged alongside it at a later date.
