Australia’s Venice Biennale Presentation: A Nurturing Experience
Australia’s participation in the 2026 Venice Biennale, scheduled for May, will offer a "nurturing experience" aimed at fostering unity in the wake of one of the most turbulent and divisive periods in the country’s 72-year history at this prestigious international art festival.
Artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino, who were initially removed and later reinstated as Australia’s representatives amid controversy, will present not one but two significant works at the Venice Biennale. Both pieces are deeply informed by Sabsabi’s practice as a Sufi Muslim and explore themes of spirituality, migration, and the vastness of shared humanity.
Dual Presentation: Pavilion and Main Exhibition
Within the Australia Pavilion, the nation’s official national venue, the artist-curator duo will present a work titled conference of one’s self. Sabsabi describes this piece as a multisensory "invitation for all people, regardless of faith, ethnicity, religion" to "come together to contemplate our collective humanity."
In addition, they will showcase a crowdfunded version of their original Venice Biennale proposal within the Biennale’s main exhibition, curated by the late artistic director Koyo Kouoh. Kouoh, who passed away in May, had invited Sabsabi and Dagostino to participate in her exhibition after Creative Australia rescinded their appointment.
This marks the first occasion an Australian artist has presented simultaneously in both the Australia Pavilion and the main exhibition. Australia’s most recent representative, Archie Moore, participated in the 2024 Venice Biennale with his installation.
Artistic Inspiration and Themes
While details of both Sabsabi works remain confidential, the artist has revealed that they are closely connected and inspired by the 12th-century Tasawwuf allegorical poem The Conference of the Birds, which narrates the quest for spiritual enlightenment.
For approximately 15 years, Sabsabi’s artistic practice has been heavily influenced by Sufism, or Tasawwuf, a mystical and pluralistic branch of Islam emphasizing a personal connection with the divine.
Together, the two works embody the core Tasawwuf concept of the interconnected inner and outer self.
"[They’re] looking at the ideas of the inner and the outer, the zahir and batin, the seen and unseen; what we can touch [and] what we can imagine,"Sabsabi explained.
The Pavilion installation will incorporate audio and visual elements, including "moments that rely on light to shimmer off and bounce and refract within the space to reveal other components of the work," according to the artist.
Organizational Support and Public Reaction
Creative Australia CEO Adrian Collette, who faced criticism over the initial decision to revoke the pair’s appointment, expressed pride in presenting Sabsabi at the Biennale.
"Sabsabi’s work offers a timely and critical opportunity to showcase an optimistic vision of Australian identity on the world stage,"he stated in an official announcement on Wednesday evening.
The announcement of Australia’s Venice Biennale presentation comes just over a year after Creative Australia withdrew the original commission. This followed criticism of Sabsabi’s appointment in The Australian newspaper and Senate debate concerning two of his earlier artworks, which Liberal senator Claire Chandler claimed promoted terrorism and antisemitism.
The removal of Sabsabi, described by Creative Australia as an effort to avoid "divisive debate," led to resignations within the organization and provoked backlash from the arts community.
Sabsabi told at the time that the ordeal had adversely affected his physical and emotional wellbeing and amounted to a "dismantling" of his career.
In July, following an independent review that identified "missteps" in the decision, Creative Australia reinstated Sabsabi and Dagostino. Creative Australia chair Wesley Enoch apologized to the artist and curator for the "hurt and pain" caused, acknowledging that Sabsabi’s work had been "mischaracterised."
Artistic Intent and Evolution
When asked if their removal had altered their plans for the Biennale, Dagostino responded that it had not:
"The original intent has not changed. The work has grown, as [all] works grow, but it hasn’t changed that much. It’s just evolved in a very natural way."
Background and Artistic Practice
Sabsabi relocated to western Sydney from Tripoli at age 12. His traumatic experiences during Lebanon’s civil war, combined with his life as a migrant and Muslim, have shaped his 35-year artistic career. His multimedia works reflect on the devastation of war, challenge stereotypes, and provide insight into the experiences of Muslims living in Australia.
Although Sabsabi’s Venice Biennale works are influenced by his spiritual practice, he emphasizes that they are "about respect and acknowledgment of all faiths, and finding commonality."
"It’s an invitation for all people, regardless of faith, ethnic, ethnicity, religion, to come in and have these moments of reflection,"he said.
"And I hope that they walk away with some curiosity."
