Artistic duo Michael Dagostino and Khaled Sabsabi have been barred from presenting their work at the Australia pavilion at next year's Venice Biennale.
The decision, announced by Creative Australia on Thursday, follows criticism from local media and parliamentarians over a past video installation by Sabsabi.
Venice Biennale has remained impartial on the matter, with its press office telling The National: “As per the Biennale’s policy, national participations are autonomous in all their decisions and choices which we do not comment.”
The 2007 work, donated to Australia’s Museum of Contemporary Art, depicted former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Additionally, Lebanese-born artist Sabsabi’s decision to join a 2022 boycott of the Sydney Festival – protesting a reported sponsorship deal with the Israeli embassy – has also been cited as a point of contention.
In response, the duo issued a statement to The Guardian Australia describing the move as a form of censorship. “Art should not be censored as artists reflect the times they live in,” they said.
“We intended to present a transformational work in Venice, an experience that would unite all audiences in an open and safe shared space. This reflects and builds on the work we have done for decades and will do for many more.
“We believe in the vision of artists for an inclusive future that can bring us together to communicate and progress our shared humanity. We also believe that, despite this decision, the Australian art world will not dim and or be silent.
“The artistic team is still committed to presenting this work on a global platform and will seek community support to make this happen.”
Several leading Australian artists including those shortlisted to showcase their work in the pavilion – Hayley Millar Baker, James Nguyen and Tina Baum – also issued a joint public letter to the board of Creative Australia, criticising the move.
“We believe that revoking support for the current Australian artist and curator representatives for Venice Biennale 2026 is antithetical to the goodwill and hard-fought artistic independence, freedom of speech and moral courage that is at the core of arts in Australia, which plays a crucial role in our thriving and democratic nation,” they wrote.
The Lock-Up, a renowned Australia artist in residence programme, also took to Instagram to lament the decision. “The Lock-Up is deeply saddened by the decision to withdraw Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino as the artist and curator team of the Australian pavilion at the Venice Biennale,” read the post.
“An artist, who by faith and by practice, investigates peace, connection, inclusivity and the elevation of the human spirit from human hubris. “This is not only a disappointing decision but comes at an as yet uncalculated cost to multiple communities across cultures as well as our national and international creative relations.
“The Lock-Up receives Creative Australia funding. We appreciate the complexities and interdependence of funding and competing priorities in government and global relations. We choose in this instance, however, to say we do not agree with this action under any circumstances and that this is not reflective of the freedom and rigour of creative research and expression in this region.”
Creative Australia said it was a unanimous decision to axe the duo and made to ensure its objectives were not undermined. “Creative Australia is an advocate for freedom of artistic expression and is not an adjudicator on the interpretation of art,” it said.
“However, the board believes a prolonged and divisive debate about the 2026 selection outcome poses an unacceptable risk to public support for Australia’s artistic community and could undermine our goal of bringing Australians together through art and creativity. Creative Australia will be reviewing the selection process for the Venice Biennale 2026.”
Born in Tripoli and now residing in Sydney, Sabsabi moved to Australia in 1978 following the outbreak of Lebanon's civil war. He began his creative career as a hip-hop performer before transitioning to sound and visual installation. His works have previously been displayed at the Sharjah Biennial, the Marrakesh Biennale and Shanghai Zendai's Museum of Modern Art.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
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If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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