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During the summer of 2015, MFA Boston began the program, Kimono Wednesdays. This program provides the opportunity for visitors to wear a kimono in front of Monet's work La Japonaise. This work is of Monet's wife wearing a kimono, inspired by the artist's fascination with Japanese culture.

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MFA Boston discontinued a program, "Kimono Wednesdays", where visitors were able to dress up in Kimonos, inspired by Claude Monet's work of his wife wearing a robe similar to the kimono. This program led to concern over exoticism and Orientalism.  After this criticism, the museum chose to have the Kimonos available to interact with, but not to wear. Critics also mentioned that the garments on display weren't even kimonos, but uchikake. Many also felt that artists such as Hokusai, would have been a better alternative to highlight Japanese culture, instead of a white man.

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The museum held a lecture in 2016, Kimono Wednesdays: A Conversation. This included:

Elena Tajima Creef, professor of women’s and gender studies, Wellesley College

Jasmine Hagans, curator of lectures, courses, and concerts

Barbara Lewis, Director, William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black History and Culture, University of Massachusetts Boston

Matthew Teitelbaum, Ann and Graham Gund Director

Reiko Tomii, independent scholar; co-director, PoNJA-GenKon

Xtina Huilan Wang, Decolonize Our Museums

Ryan Wong, writer and visiting scholar at New York University’s A/P/A Institute

This program will discuss issues such as Orientalism, racism, cultural appropriation, racialized images, and representation of people of color. It further discussed how institutions such as MFA being more accountable to their community and how they represent it. This presentation started off with an apology by the MFA director, Matthew Teitelbaum. The Director also apologized for the title of the exhibition, Flirting with the Exotic, as it sensationalized an "important issue". Creef stated that it is not inherently racism to put a kimono on, although it is a part of a racist history, especially through a Western lense. Teitelbaim stated "Museums should be safe places and they're not safe places for everybody."

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Sunday, February 7, 2016
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Harry and Mildred Remis Auditorium (Auditorium 161)

Free with Museum Admission

Event is over

Elena Tajima Creef, professor of women's and gender studies, Wellesley College
Jasmine Hagans, curator of lectures, courses, and concerts
Barbara Lewis, Director, William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black History and Culture, University of Massachusetts Boston
Matthew Teitelbaum, Ann and Graham Gund Director
Reiko Tomii, independent scholar; co-director, PoNJA-GenKon
Xtina Huilan Wang, Decolonize Our Museums
Ryan Wong, writer and visiting scholar at New York University's A/P/A Institute

Last summer, the MFA offered programming focused around Claude Monet's "La Japonaise," with the goal of exploring the painting with visitors, as it documents both Monet's interest in Japanese art and his reaction to the fad of "Japonisme" in Paris. Reproduction kimonos made in Japan for a Japanese audience were available for visitors in Boston to try on, an experience intended to engage them both with the garment and Monet's rendering of it. The framing of the event through a Western lens sparked protest, counter-protest and much conversation and debate about issues including Orientalism, racialized iconography, institutional racism, representation of minority groups, and cultural appropriation.

How can institutions such as the MFA be more accountable to their publics? Who speaks for whom? Following an hour-long panel discussion, moderated by Elena Creef and featuring Xtina Huilan Wang, Barbara Lewis, Reiko Tomii, and Ryan Wong, we invite you to join us in an informal dialogue: we want to hear your opinions and thoughts. We invite you to critically shape this conversation with all comments, ideas, and questions welcome.

A limited number of first-come-first-serve free tickets for a live-feed in the Museum's Riley Seminar Room will be available starting at 12:30pm on Sunday in-person at the MFA. For MFA members, proceed to the Remis Box Office to pick up a live-feed ticket. For non-members, visit any ticket desk for a free admission ticket and then proceed to the Remis Box Office to pick up a live-feed ticket.

Ticket Information

Free ticket required.
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975; to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.

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Sunday, February 7, 20161:30 pm - 3:30 pm Harry and Mildred Remis Auditorium (Auditorium 161) Free with Museum Admission Event is over Elena Tajima Creef, professor of women's and gender studies, Wellesley College Jasmine Hagans, curator of lectures, courses, and concerts Barbara Lewis, Director, William Monroe Trotter Institute for the

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As Wang stated, one of the panelists of the lecture, "one of the things this institution can do is to find what is challenging to you and sit with it...and don't come back and tell me all the good things you've done for me."

I believe that the museum's efforts to address this issue with the lecture was a great way to connect with the community and better understand their role in this situation. I do think that the museum should include more information concerning the history of kimonos. While the kimonos are no longer worn in the exhibit, there should still be more education on the kimono, especially if it is still on view with the work.
The museum should reflect on this situation and avoid exoticism and viewing cultures through a strictly western lens.

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Some buzz words associated with this case includes "culturally sensitive", "cultural borrowing", and "cultural appropriation". These words seems to be used generically and don't really emphasize specific identities. The museum sought to be more "culturally sensitive", which implies that the museum has to be more sensitive when approaching other cultures, which seems doesn't embrace these cultures. Cultural borrowing and cultural appropriation seemed to be synonymous and both have been used in a flippant manner by the museum. Terms such as these are valid, but seem to be buzz words in the context used by the museum.

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The MFA’s mission is to engage people with direct encounters with works of art, and to be an inclusive and welcoming place for all. When the MFA’s painting, La Japonaise by Claude Monet, traveled throughout Japan for an exhibition, historically accurate reproduction kimonos were made for visitors to try on. When the painting returned to Boston and a similar program was introduced at the MFA, we heard concerns from some members of our community, and as a result, we’ve decided to change our programming. The kimonos will now be on display in the Impressionist gallery every Wednesday evening in July for visitors to touch and engage with, but not to try on. This allows the MFA to continue to achieve the program’s goal of offering an interactive experience with the kimonos—understanding their weight and size, and appreciating the embroidery, material, and narrative composition. We will also increase the number of Spotlight Talks presented by MFA educators, to take place every Wednesday evening in July in conjunction with the display of the kimonos. The talks provide context on French Impressionism, “japonisme,” and the historical background of the painting, as well as an opportunity to engage in culturally sensitive discourse. We apologize for offending any visitors, and welcome everyone to participate in these programs on Wednesday evenings, when Museum admission is free. We look forward to continuing the Museum’s long-standing dialogue about the art, culture and influence of Japan.

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The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has apologized for and discontinued an ill-advised program that gave rise to demonstrations and was deemed culturally insensitive.

The museum had staged a recurring in-gallery event in which museumgoers dressed up in kimonos, inspired by a Claude Monet canvas depicting his wife in a similar robe.
Many observers found the whole affair an exercise in Orientalism and exoticism.
Kimonos based on the robe in the Monet painting will be available for visitors to handle, but not to wear. The museum will also increase the frequency of talks by educators about the painting and its context as a way to "engage in culturally sensitive discourse."

The museum notably fails to avoid a bit of defensiveness, pointing out that when the painting traveled in Japan, visitors could try on a replica kimono.

Following is the museum's statement:

The MFA's mission is to engage people with direct encounters with works of art, and to be an inclusive and welcoming place for all. When the MFA's painting, La Japonaise by Claude Monet, travelled throughout Japan for an exhibition, historically accurate reproduction kimonos were made for visitors to try on. When the painting returned to Boston and a similar program was introduced at the MFA, we heard concerns from some members of our community, and as a result, we've decided to change our programming. The kimonos will now be on display in the Impressionist gallery every Wednesday evening in July for visitors to touch and engage with, but not to try on. This allows the MFA to continue to achieve the program's goal of offering an interactive experience with the kimonos-understanding their weight and size, and appreciating the embroidery, material, and narrative composition. We will also increase the number of Spotlight Talks presented by MFA educators, to take place every Wednesday evening in July in conjunction with the display of the kimonos. The talks provide context on French Impressionism, "japonisme," and the historical background of the painting, as well as an opportunity to engage in culturally sensitive discourse. We apologize for offending any visitors, and welcome everyone to participate in these programs on Wednesday evenings, when Museum admission is free. We look forward to continuing the Museum's long-standing dialogue about the art, culture and influence of Japan.

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MFA Boston Cancels Kimono Event - artnet News

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The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has apologized for and discontinued an ill-advised program that gave rise to demonstrations and was deemed culturally insensitive. The museum had staged a recurring in-gallery event in which museumgoers dressed up in kimonos, inspired by a Claude Monet canvas depicting his wife in a similar robe.

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Protesters use Twitter to bring attention to the controversy.

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Boucher, B. (2015, July 08). MFA Boston Cancels Kimono Event. Retrieved from https://news.artnet.com/art-world/museum-of-fine-arts-boston-apologizes-for-kimono-event-315000

Edwards, S. (2017, June 05). The kimono is big - and not just in Japan. But where is the line between appropriation and appreciation? Retrieved from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/fashion-and-beauty/fashion/kimono-western-culture/article25933390/

Frank, P. (2015, July 09). Museum's 'Kimono Wednesdays' Cancelled After Claims Of Racism. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/museums-kimono-wednesdays-cancelled-after-claims-of-racism_us_559eb64ee4b05b1d028fe7e8

Gay, M. (2016, February 08). Kimono controversy erupts anew at MFA panel - The Boston Globe. Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2016/02/08/kimono-controversy-erupts-anew-mfa-panel/olduJEpYVqUUyTM3wunRUM/story.html

WBUR. (2016, February 08). MFA Director On Kimono Controversy: 'I Think That Was Misguided And Apologize'. Retrieved from http://www.wbur.org/artery/2016/02/08/mfa-kimono-controversy

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Protesters at MFA during Kimono Wednesdays

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Protesters at MFA during Kimono Wednesdays

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The protest group, Stand Against Yellow Face, did not have a major issue with Westerners using the Kimono, but the face that there was no education on the kimono's history. It was seen as just a costume and completely unrelated to the Asian identity. The program was seen to encourage Orientalism, which completely demeans Asian culture

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To prevent this situation, the museum could have incorporated more literature on the history of kimonos, as this was the chief complaint of the protesters. The museum could have contacted the community as well to see if this was a good idea. I think that incorporating the thoughts and ideas of the community is better done before than after.