The Metropolitan Museum of Art is reportedly considering alternative exhibitions, including a smaller show from its permanent collection, after plans for a John Galliano exhibition were abandoned.
Organisers of the Met Gala may be facing a race against time to find a replacement exhibition after plans to honour controversial designer John Galliano were scrapped.
With less than a year remaining before the annual fashion event, putting together a new large-scale exhibition could prove extremely challenging, according to sources cited by Page Six.
Met considers bringing forward future exhibition
One option under consideration is bringing forward an exhibition that the Costume Institute has already begun planning.
However, a source said the museum would still face significant work, as extensive preparations had already been completed for the cancelled Galliano exhibition, including research and the collection of archival fashion pieces.
The replacement exhibition would likely be smaller in scale because of the limited time available, according to the source.
Costume Institute collection offers another option
The Met could also turn to its permanent collection, which contains tens of thousands of fashion objects spanning centuries.
According to the source, the museum could use pieces already in its possession to create a thematic exhibition without undertaking the extensive research and borrowing process normally associated with a major show.
Such an approach could provide the institution with a more practical solution while maintaining the Met Gala’s connection to fashion history.
Could the Met Gala be cancelled?
A far more dramatic possibility would be cancelling the Met Gala altogether, although the event has been cancelled only a handful of times in its history.
The gala was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic and was also called off following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The prospect of another cancellation highlights the challenge facing organisers as they attempt to replace an exhibition that had already been substantially developed.
Galliano exhibition faced backlash
The uncertainty followed Galliano’s decision earlier this week to withdraw from the planned exhibition after facing criticism from community leaders, donors and advocacy organisations.
The controversy centred on Galliano’s past conduct. In 2011, the designer was found guilty in France of making offensive remarks targeting Jewish people.
Galliano has since publicly discussed seeking treatment and attempting to make amends, including through meetings with religious leaders.
The cancellation leaves the Costume Institute with limited time to develop an alternative exhibition capable of serving as the centrepiece of one of fashion’s biggest annual events.