Lebanese artist barred from showcasing work at cultural festival

The artistic pair, Michael Dagostino and Lebanese-born Khaled Sabsabi have been prevented from showcasing their work at the Australia pavilion for next year’s Venice Biennale, The National reported on February 14th.

Announced by Creative Australia on February 13th, the decision comes after parliamentarians and local media criticized a previous video installation by Sabsabi.

Created for Australia’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the 2007 work presented a depiction of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. What’s more, Sabsabi’s choice to join a 2022 boycott of the Sydney Festival, over a sponsorship deal with the Israeli embassy has also been referred to as a contentious matter.

The National