Metropolitan Museum Cancels John Galliano Exhibition After Backlash Over Antisemitic Past
On August 31, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the cancellation of its upcoming spring Costume Institute exhibition and gala that was set to honor British designer John Galliano, just a month after the initial announcement. This decision came in response to pressure from politicians, donors, and Jewish community leaders. Criticism arose from figures such as Brad Lander and New York assemblyman Micah Lasher, while the Mamdani administration denounced Galliano's antisemitic comments. Displeasure was voiced by notable donors like Alice Tisch, and Arne Glimcher threatened to sever connections. Galliano was convicted of a hate crime in September 2011 due to his antisemitic statements. The Met is now exploring a new theme for the 2027 exhibition and gala.
Key facts
- The Met canceled the John Galliano exhibition on August 31st, one month after announcing it.
- Galliano was convicted of a hate crime by a French court in September 2011 after three antisemitic encounters at a Paris café.
- In a video published by the Sun, Galliano said, "I love Hitler. People like you would be dead today."
- Galliano was fired from Christian Dior, where he had been creative director for roughly fifteen years.
- Prominent donors including Alice Tisch pressured the Met, and Arne Glimcher threatened to cut the museum out of his will.
- Anna Wintour, Vogue's global editorial director and Met Gala co-chair, had championed Galliano and pushed for the honor for at least three years.
- The Met's head curator Andrew Bolton first considered a Galliano exhibition in 2010.
- The Met is now scrambling to find a new theme for the 2027 Costume Institute exhibition and gala.
Entities
Artists
- John Galliano
- Brad Lander
- Micah Lasher
- Julie Menin
- Alice Tisch
- Arne Glimcher
- Geraldine Bloch
- Philippe Virgitti
- Barry Marcus
- Abraham Foxman
- Anna Wintour
- Oscar de la Renta
- Kim Kardashian
- Andrew Bolton
- Rick Jacobs
- Jonathan Greenblatt
- David Ingber
- Robin Givhan
- Angelique Chrisafis
- Alexander McQueen
- Karl Lagerfeld
- Dana Thomas
- Robert Downey, Jr.
- Mel Gibson
Institutions
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Costume Institute
- Met Gala
- Christian Dior
- Pace Gallery
- Anti-Defamation League
- Union for Reform Judaism
- Bronfman Center at 92Y
- Maison Margiela
- Zara
- Vogue
- Condé Nast
- The New Yorker
- The New York Times
- The Guardian
- Newsweek
- The Cut
- New York City Council
- Mamdani administration
- Dior
- Givenchy
- Central Saint Martins
- LVMH
- Neue Zürcher Zeitung
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Brooklyn
- Paris
- France
- Arizona
- Switzerland
- New York
- London
- United Kingdom