The 2024 Venice Biennale was a triumph for Australia, with Indigenous artist Archie Moore profitable the Golden Lion for Greatest Nationwide Participation together with his work kith & kin.
Now an unpleasant political debacle has turned the honour of representing Australia on the subsequent Venice Biennale right into a poisoned chalice, and it appears more and more probably that the Australian Pavilion will likely be darkish and empty in 2026.
The federal government company Artistic Australia ignited a firestorm of anger and disbelief when, on 7 February, it introduced its artist and curator for 2026 after which, simply six days later, dumped them in sensational circumstances.
It had been smiles all spherical when Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino, because the chosen artist/curator staff, turned up for a media name organised by Artistic Australia within the western Sydney suburb of Granville. Each Sabsabi and Dagostino, well-known and revered figures within the Australian arts, hail from western Sydney.
“Khaled Sabsabi’s work, in collaboration with curator Michael Dagostino, displays the variety and plurality of Australia’s wealthy tradition, and can spark significant conversations with audiences around the globe,” Artistic Australia’s chief govt officer Adrian Collette mentioned within the media briefing materials.
Days later The Australian newspaper reported that two of Sabsabi’s works, courting again nearly 20 years, included imagery of Hassan Nasrallah—the deceased former Hezbollah chief who was categorized as a terrorist—in addition to footage of the destruction of the Twin Towers on 9/11.
The Australian mentioned Sabsabi had “seemingly lauded a terrorist chief in his previous work”, and the newspaper questioned whether or not Sabsabi and Dagostino must be “custodians of our nation’s popularity at this prestigious biennale in Venice”.
Within the Australian senate, the conservative senator Claire Chandler requested the overseas minister Penny Wong why an artist “who highlights a terrorist chief” was going to symbolize Australia in Venice. Wong mentioned she would report again.
The subsequent day, Collette issued an announcement that confirmed Sabsabi’s and Dagostino’s participation was being cancelled. “Artistic Australia is an advocate for freedom of creative expression and isn’t an adjudicator on the interpretation of artwork,” the assertion learn.
“Nevertheless, the board believes a protracted and divisive debate concerning the 2026 choice consequence poses an unacceptable danger to public help for Australia’s creative group and will undermine our purpose of bringing Australians collectively via artwork and creativity.”
Sabsabi and Dagostino launched an announcement indicating their damage and disappointment.
“We meant to current a transformational work in Venice, an expertise that might unite all audiences in an open and protected shared area,” their assertion learn.
No element on the proposed work was given, however the assertion mentioned “the creative staff continues to be dedicated to presenting this work on a world platform and can search group help to make this occur”.
Assist from the sector
Main names rushed to help Sabsabi and Dagostino, and to sentence Artistic Australia. Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, the previous director of the Museum of Modern Artwork Australia, emphasised the hazard of leaping to ideological conclusions with out totally understanding a murals.
“Pictures on-line and quick descriptions can’t convey the artist’s intent, particularly when it’s ironic and multi-layered,” Macgregor wrote. She added: “Thank You Very A lot, the title of the video working referencing 9/11, just isn’t the artist applauding the assault, however taken from a George W. Bush quote included within the piece.”
The Sydney-based arts philanthropist Simon Mordant protested the axing of Sabsabi and Dagostino by resigning from his position as ambassador for Australia on the biennale, and withdrawing his monetary help. He described the state of affairs as “a tragic mess” and referred to as for the sacking of Collette and Artistic Australia chairman Robert Morgan.
“Khaled [Sabsabi] is a peacemaker and a really considerate particular person,” Mordant advised The Australian Monetary Evaluation. “The suggestion that he helps terrorism or racism or antisemitism is outrageous.”
Moore and Ellie Buttrose, the curator behind final yr’s Golden Lion-winning pavilion, additionally criticised the transfer. “We had been appalled to study that on 13 February the Board of Artistic Australia shortly and with out clear course of rescinded its contract with Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino,” they mentioned in an announcement.
All 5 creative groups on the Artistic Australia shortlist for Venice mentioned they might refuse the Venice posting if it had been provided to them. Australia’s Nationwide Affiliation for the Visible Arts condemned Artistic Australia’s determination, saying it was “pushed by political strain and misrepresentation”.
