Creative Australia has reappointed interdisciplinary artist Khaled Sabsabi to represent the country at the forthcoming 2026 Venice Biennale. He’ll be accompanied by his artistic collaborator, Michael Dagostino, for this historic occasion. Their initial invitation was rescinded amid controversy regarding Sabsabi’s past works, which some critics claimed did not align with Australia’s artistic values. Following a period of reassessment and community feedback, Creative Australia reaffirmed their decision to include Sabsabi and Dagostino in this prestigious event.
The uproar started when the Coalition first raised concerns about the choice of Khaled Sabsabi. His earlier books generated plenty of controversy. These works include a video installation called “You,” which shows Hassan Nasrallah, and an artwork called “Thank You Very Much” with footage from the September 11 attacks. Critics—especially Alex Ryvchin, Deputy CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry—had voiced alarm over Sabsabi’s fitness to represent Australian art.
Ryvin said, “We’re not really debating whether he should be allowed to paint or create art in this way. What we are wondering is if he’s the right person to represent Australian art.” This country is richly talented with artists across all disciplines. As mentioned, this is highly unusual behavior—the vast majority of them have never honored terrorist leaders or events in a similar fashion.
Although faced with a significant public outcry, Creative Australia wisely decided to reissue the invitation to the two artists. They took this decision after reading the context of Sabsabi’s works, produced almost two decades ago and not entered into the Biennale. Wesley Enoch, the new acting chair of Creative Australia, spoke to the importance of artistic freedom and to the idea of independent decision-making.
“I want to apologise to them for the hurt they’ve gone through in this process and though we’ll be stronger because of it, I know it’s come at a personal cost, not just to them, but also to a whole range of people in the art community. I feel that we as Creative Australia need to help the whole sector learn some of these lessons going forward.” – Wesley Enoch
The announcement that they chose to reinstate Sabsabi and Dagostino has been welcomed with relief and guarded optimism across the country. Penelope Benton, the Executive Director of the National Association for the Visual Arts, applauded Creative Australia’s recent decision. She called it an indication that they’re standing by their commitment to artistic integrity. She remarked on the significance of upholding artistic freedom, stating:
“Artistic freedom and independent decision making are fundamental to the role of a national arts body. And these principles need to be upheld, and I think this marks a turning point in reaffirming our commitment to those principles, and improving practices to ensure this never happens again.” – Penelope Benton
Sara Mansour, a Lebanese Australian lawyer and artist, shared her happiness about the via Twitter. She highlighted its importance for the Australian creative sector. She shared her renewed faith in Creative Australia, stating:
“Yeah, I am really elated. It’s kind of reinstated my hope in the Australian private sector and Creative Australia specifically. It’s illustrated the importance of risk mitigation and risk management procedures. As an artist, I feel like my faith has been restored.” – Sara Mansour
Artists Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino express thanks for the reinstatement. Ms Craig and Mr Weymouth are grateful for the restored faith in Creative Australia’s selection process. They emphasized that this decision enables them to continue on a constructive path after a very contentious period.
“This decision has renewed our confidence in Creative Australia and in the integrity of its selection process, and allows us to move forward with optimism and hope after a period of significant personal and collective hardship.” – Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino
The reinstatements of Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino are a testament to the powerful value of artistic diversity. This landmark decision ignites an even larger ongoing discussion about representation in the arts. Australia prepares to undertake its own Venice Biennale. This decision shines a light on the important role that critical perspectives have, and are needed, in today’s art world.
