Author Jhumpa Lahiri has turned down the Isamu Noguchi Award from New York’s Noguchi Museum, citing the institution’s dismissal of three employees for wearing keffiyeh scarves, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.

Lahiri, an Indian-American writer known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning debut Interpreter of Maladies (1999), withdrew her acceptance of the award in protest of the museum’s new dress code policy.

The Noguchi Museum, established nearly 40 years ago by Japanese-American artist and designer Isamu Noguchi, updated its guidelines in August, prohibiting staff from wearing clothing or accessories that convey "political messages, slogans, or symbols" while on duty. In response to Lahiri’s decision, the museum confirmed her withdrawal in a statement on September 25, 2024.

“Jhumpa Lahiri has chosen to withdraw her acceptance of the 2024 Isamu Noguchi Award in response to our updated dress code policy,” the statement said, reported The New York Times.

The Isamu Noguchi Award, initiated in 2014, honours individuals who embody Noguchi’s innovative spirit, imagination, and commitment to creativity. Past recipients include prominent figures such as Norman Foster, David Adjaye, Toshiko Mori, and Tadao Ando.

Amy Hau, the museum's director, elaborated on the policy in a statement dated September 18, explaining that the decision aimed to prevent the unintended exclusion of the museum's diverse audience and to maintain focus on its core mission—promoting Noguchi’s art and legacy. “We acknowledge that these are difficult times and that not everyone will agree with our approach,” Hau acknowledged.

The keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian self-determination, has been worn globally as a quiet statement of solidarity. As Al Jazeera noted, anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was frequently seen wearing the scarf, underscoring its significance in global solidarity movements.