John Galliano bows out of Met exhibition as backlash over antisemitism mounts

John Galliano has withdrawn from a planned exhibition of his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art following mounting backlash over his history of antisemitic and racist remarks. The Met had announced the exhibition less than a month prior, intending to make him only the third living designer to receive a solo show there. Criticism intensified from Jewish leaders, museum donors, and New York politicians, with New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin calling the decision "deeply painful for Jewish New Yorkers." While some rabbis, like Rabbi Rick Jacobs, had previously believed Galliano's repentance was sincere, the Anti-Defamation League's CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, stated, "With antisemitism at crisis levels, the Met honoring John Galliano at this moment was misguided." Galliano, who was fired from Dior in 2011 after a hate speech conviction, said he remained accountable for the pain caused by his past words and that it was best for the show not to take place "at this time."