John Galliano's 2027 Met Gala exhibit canceled after weeks of backlash for past remarks

John Galliano has canceled his appearance at the Metropolitan Museum of Art due to a surge of backlash over the museum's decision to showcase his work, despite his history of antisemitic and racist comments. Galliano claimed on Monday that he had decided the exhibition should not proceed "at this time" after discussions with the Met and others involved. He acknowledged the hurt his past words caused, especially to Jewish and Asian communities. The Metropolitan Museum announced it concurred with Galliano's decision.

The Met had planned to honor Galliano with its spring 2027 Costume Institute exhibition, a significant honor that would make him the third living designer to have a solo show at the museum. The exhibition was to coincide with the Met Gala, one of New York's most prominent cultural events. Opposition to the exhibition grew in recent weeks, with criticism coming from various quarters.

Dana Thomas, Galliano's biographer, wrote in the New York Times that the Met had made a grave error in honoring him. Jewish leaders, museum donors, and New York politicians publicly urged the museum to reconsider the decision.

Prominent figures like New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Met donor Alice Tisch criticized the exhibition, with Tisch calling it a "whitewash." The controversy was further complicated by meetings between some prominent rabbis and Galliano, who they believed had genuine remorse. However, they still urged the museum to make clear the antisemitic conduct and the lessons of his repentance in the exhibition.

Galliano's cancellation leaves the Met without a spring 2027 Costume Institute exhibition. The museum stated that further details about a replacement exhibition and the 2027 Met Gala will be announced later. This decision has been welcomed by the Anti-Defamation League, who had previously accepted Galliano's apology but acknowledged the rising antisemitism in recent years. The ADL's CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, expressed disappointment with the Met's decision at this time, emphasizing that timing matters.