Khaled Sabsabi, a Western Sydney artist, was unexpectedly dropped from representing Australia at the Venice Biennale just five days after his selection, primarily due to political backlash surrounding his previous works. These works included controversial pieces referencing Hezbollah and the 9/11 attacks. This decision, made by Creative Australia, aimed to mitigate divisive debate and protect public support for the artistic community, despite their stated commitment to artistic freedom. Sabsabi expressed astonishment at his initial selection given current political tensions.
Sabsabi's controversial selection for the Venice Biennale was revoked due to political pressure and public concern over his prior works depicting sensitive themes.
Creative Australia emphasized its commitment to artistic freedom but faced backlash, stating that continuing with Sabsabi risked divisive public debate contrary to their mission.
Collection
[
|
...
]