Khaled Sabsabi, an artist of Lebanese descent, has been removed from representing Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale following controversy surrounding his previous artworks. Some of his works, including depictions of Hassan Nasrallah and the 9/11 attacks, sparked criticism and political pressure.
Khaled Sabsabi, the western Sydney artist who fled Lebanon’s civil war as a child, has been dropped from representing Australia at the 61st Venice Biennale –
It appears that Australia’s federal arts body Creative Australia, who picked Sabsabi alongside curator Michael Dagostino, have responded to political pressure to drop the artist. In a statement they said: “The board of Creative Australia has made the unanimous decision not to proceed with the artistic team chosen for the2026. Creative Australia is an advocate for freedom of artistic expression and is not an adjudicator on the interpretation of art.
Yet some critics have taken a more nuanced view of Sabsabi’s artworks. Describing You, the video installation using fractured images of Nasrallah, thestates: “Sabsabi’s use of the multiplying image is purposefully ambiguous. It plays on western fears of cultural difference … and suggests the all-pervasiveness of the public news media, and its ability to deify or vilify through the intensive repetition of imagery on our television screens.
VENICE BIENNALE AUSTRALIA ART CONTROVERSY KHALED SABSABI POLITICAL PRESSURE
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Lebanese Australian Artist Khaled Sabsabi to Represent Australia at the 2026 Venice BiennaleKhaled Sabsabi, a multimedia artist known for his political stances on the Gaza conflict, has been selected to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale. This marks a historic moment as Sabsabi becomes the first Lebanese Australian artist to be chosen for this prestigious global arts event.
Read more »
Artist Khaled Sabsabi 'honoured' to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale in 2026Khaled Sabsabi has been announced as the next artist to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale, after Archie Moore, who won the top prize in 2024.
Read more »
Western Sydney Artist Khaled Sabsabi to Represent Australia at 2026 Venice BiennaleLebanese-Australian artist Khaled Sabsabi, known for his politically charged and spiritually introspective works, has been selected to represent Australia at the prestigious Venice Biennale. Sabsabi will collaborate with curator Michael Dagostino to present a project exploring themes of identity, representation, and Australia's compassionate nature.
Read more »
Controversy Forces Australia to Withdraw Venice Biennale SelectionAustralia's arts funding body has reversed its decision to send the artistic duo Sabsabi to the 2026 Venice Biennale following public outcry over their past work.
Read more »
Creative Australia ditches Venice Biennale artistic duoCurator Michael Dagostino and artist Khaled Sabsabi had been selected to show at the 2026 event, regarded as the Olympics of the contemporary art world.
Read more »
‘A very special artist’: tributes flow following death of acclaimed Australian actorNicholas Eadie starred opposite a young Nicole Kidman in the wartime miniseries, Vietnam, as well as having roles in A Country Practice, Halifax f.p. and The Henderson Kids.
Read more »