On Thursday evening, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston released a detailed statement regarding a recent wave of layoffs that sparked debate, particularly concerning allegations that the cuts disproportionately affected curators of color.
The museum refuted these claims. In a statement, director Pierre Terjanian emphasized, "We have consistently taken measures to ensure that the reductions do not disproportionately affect any groups based on their background or identity." He noted that prior to the restructuring, one third of the museum's workforce identified as people of color, a statistic that remains unchanged.
According to Terjanian, approximately 6.3 percent of the MFA's staff was impacted, resulting in 33 positions being eliminated while 489 employees were retained. He stated, "To address a significant and unsustainable structural deficit, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce," adding that the layoffs followed a comprehensive review of all operational aspects of the museum.
In an interview with Kim Córdova for the Boston Art Review, a union representative revealed that the workers were informed of the layoffs only "five minutes" prior to an email announcement sent to the entire staff. Among those laid off, 16 were union members, while 17 were not affiliated with the group. The article also highlighted that no leadership members took a pay cut, although the COO position was eliminated.
The controversy surrounding the layoffs has largely focused on several curators, including Marina Tyquiengco and Nadirah Mansour, who were let go from their roles as associate curator of Native American art and assistant curator of Islamic art, respectively. A social media post regarding their dismissal gained significant traction, amassing over 50,000 likes.
Ayia Elsadig, who created the viral post, questioned the museum's intentions regarding its treatment of minority communities, particularly during a time perceived as less supportive of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Additionally, theo tyson, a curator in the fashion arts department and reportedly the only Black curator at the MFA, was also among those laid off.
Terjanian justified the curatorial cuts by stating, "We reviewed curatorial staffing levels and eliminated seven positions. Our goal was to ensure that every area of the collection continues to receive care and support from the remaining staff, while also recalibrating the balance between curatorial roles and the critical support staff behind the scenes."
He concluded with optimism, stating, "More work lies ahead to adapt our institution to current realities and future needs. We are confident we are on the right path and remain grateful to our staff--both departing and continuing--for their commitment to this essential work."