Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden Reopens, Galliano to Headline Met's 2027 Costume Institute Show, JR Takes Over the Vatican

The art world saw several notable announcements this week, starting with the reopening of the sculpture garden at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian institution dedicated to modern and contemporary art reopened this iconic outdoor space following renovation work, giving visitors renewed access to monumental works set amid refreshed landscaping.

In New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art unveiled the theme for its next major Costume Institute exhibition, scheduled for 2027: it will be dedicated to British designer John Galliano, a towering figure in fashion over the past three decades, known for his tenures at Dior and Maison Margiela. The Met Gala, the glittering event traditionally tied to these exhibition openings, is expected to follow suit with a Galliano-themed edition in roughly eighteen months.

Meanwhile, French artist JR, celebrated for his monumental photographic collages installed in public spaces worldwide, carried out an artistic intervention at the Vatican. The collaboration marks a further step in the dialogue between the Holy See and contemporary art, as the institution has increasingly invited living artists in recent years, including its participation in the Venice Biennale.

Though disparate, these three announcements reflect the international cultural sector's late-summer vitality: heritage renovation in the United States, fashion programming at the Met, and a contemporary artistic gesture at the heart of a centuries-old institution. They also underscore the growing overlap between art, fashion and religion—three worlds whose collaborations have multiplied in recent years.

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Written by the ADM desk based on artnet News. Read the original article for the full story.