[REVISION HISTORY]

Metropolitan Museum of Art cancels John Galliano exhibition

Updated 11 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-03 05:46 UTC → 2026-09-05 13:19 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has canceled its planned 2027 retrospective, ‘John Galliano: Horizons,’ following intense backlash from the Jewish community, politicians, and major donors. The exhibition, intended to be a centerpiece for the 2027 Met Gala, faced significant criticism regarding Galliano’s history of antisemitic and racist remarks in 2011, for which he was convicted of a hate crime in France. Critics specifically highlighted the insensitivity of the exhibition’s scheduled May opening, which coincided with Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). This controversy led to threats from prominent donors to withhold or rescind future contributions. New York City Council President Julie Menin and donor Arne Glimcher were among the figures expressing that honoring the designer was inappropriate given his past convictions. In a joint statement, the Met and Galliano announced the cancellation. Galliano expressed deep regret, stating, ‘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.’ He added that he did not wish for the debate to place the museum in a difficult position or distract from the Costume Institute’s work, noting that ‘meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition.’ Met Director Max Hollein, Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton, and Anna Wintour supported the decision, describing it as a ‘courageous move’ or ‘very brave.’ While organizations such as the Yad Vashem USA Foundation criticized the museum for initially planning the exhibition, the institution has confirmed the project will not proceed. The controversy has also brought scrutiny to Anna Wintour, a Met trustee and chair of the Costume Institute Benefit, as insiders question her judgment in backing the exhibition despite Galliano’s history. The museum’s Costume Institute will now develop a new theme for the 2027 Met Gala.

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