The exhibition of Lebanese-Australian artist Khaled Sabsabi, originally scheduled to be held at the Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA) in Melbourne, has now been postponed indefinitely. Sabsabi, based in western Sydney, was previously announced on February 7, along with curator Michael Dagostino, as Australia's representatives for the 2026 Venice Biennale, becoming a national focal point. This postponement raises questions about artistic freedom and institutional support.
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03-29, 2025However, in less than a week, Creative Australia controversially withdrew Sabsabi's appointment. This followed questions raised in Parliament by Coalition arts spokesman Claire Chandler regarding Sabsabi's work from 15 years ago. Sabsabi's gallery owner, Josh Milani, stated that Creative Australia's decision to withdraw his Biennale appointment damaged the artist's career. The art community expressed concerns about political interference in artistic decisions.
Milani stated: "Ever since he was fired by Creative Australia and lost the Venice Biennale commission, MUMA's curators have been under pressure from above. This cancellation is a direct result of Creative Australia completely abandoning him as an artist and as an individual. They allowed the misrepresentation of him as a sympathizer of terrorism to go unchecked." This highlights the potential consequences of unsubstantiated allegations on an artist's reputation and career.
The exhibition, titled "Stolon Press: Flat Earth," was originally scheduled to open on May 8 and had been planned for 18 months. It brings together the works of Stolon Press (a Sydney-based art collective and Sabsabi's long-term collaborator), writer and anthropologist Elisa Taber, and Sabsabi. According to MUMA's website, Sabsabi planned to exhibit "large coffee-stained calligraphic paintings rooted in tasawwuf (Sufism), and abstract contour works that use numerology and repetition to explore spirituality and our shared human condition." The diverse range of artistic expressions promised a thought-provoking experience.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), this is the first time in the gallery's 50-year history that an exhibition has been withdrawn. Monash University, as the owner of the gallery, made this decision. A Monash University spokesperson told ABC Arts in a written statement: "Through consultation with our community, we believe the museum needs to deepen its collaboration and engagement on this exhibition. Postponing the exhibition will help facilitate this important work." The university failed to confirm when the exhibition would be rescheduled. It is currently unclear what procedures the university followed in making this decision, leaving the art world questioning the rationale.
The Creative Australia board held a meeting on February 13 and unanimously decided to revoke Sabsabi and Dagostino's Venice Biennale commission (board member Larissa Behrendt was absent). In response, two Creative Australia employees – Head of Visual Arts Mikala Tai and Project Manager Tahmina Maskinyar – resigned from their positions. Creative Australia board member and renowned artist Lindy Lee also resigned from the board. Creative Australia CEO Adrian Collette and board chair Robert Morgan were questioned by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young at a Senate Estimates hearing late on February 18, but both declined to resign. The resignations reflect the depth of disagreement within the organization.
Although Sabsabi and Dagostino are seeking reinstatement of the commission, the Australian Pavilion, which showcased Archie Moore's Golden Lion-winning work "kith and kin" at the 2024 Venice Biennale, may remain vacant at the 2026 festival. The future of Australia's representation at the prestigious event remains uncertain, pending the resolution of this controversy.
