Ten Curators in support of Khaled Sabsabi: Edition 9

Artist Profile will be publishing ten pieces of text from international and local curators as a series of editions. These distinguished curators provided their words voluntarily in support of Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino after Creative Australia “honoured Khaled and dishonoured him” (Simryn Gill, 7.30 Report) in less than a week of announcing Sabsabi and Dagostino as the 2026 Venice Biennale team to represent Australia.

The call for the reinstatement of Sabsabi and Dagostino has been loud and strong from within the visual arts community here and abroad. The curators in support of Sabsabi have previously written on and curated his artwork.

Adam Porter is an Australian curator of diverse Eurasian heritage. Porter is the Head of Curatorial at Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chair of Penrith Performing and Visual Arts and Deputy Chair of the Sydney Culture Network. Porter has curatorially collaborated with Khaled Sabsabi on three exhibitions; Landlock, 2013, and Nahrain: Two Rivers, 2014 both for the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Sydney and A Hope in 2022 for the Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney.

Aajyna 1998 + 2022

The intangible feeling of hope and hopelessness is inexplicable. Hope can drive and inspire, while hopelessness can leave one feeling empty, devoid of belief. Hopelessness is akin to a spiritual death – the resignation that nothing holds value. As an Arab, Muslim artist living in South-West Sydney, Khaled’s practice is often confined to simplistic labels tied to his identity. However, I’ve always viewed his work as far more complex than what these labels suggest. I’ve found myself interpreting his art as abstract, perhaps referring to personal, cultural or religious experiences. Yet, his most recognisable work addresses universal spiritual beliefs and rituals that invite viewers to connect based on their own experiences.

In 2014, Khaled won the Fisher’s Ghost Art Award at Campbelltown Arts Centre with his two-channel video work, Wonderland. The piece juxtaposes two opposing moving images of the Red and Black Bloc (RBB) – passionate fans of the Western Sydney Wanderers football team. Contrary to how mainstream media often portrays the RBB and Western Sydney’s diverse and largely diasporic communities, Khaled’s video captures these fans in peaceful unity, chanting in their signature red and black jerseys. Notably, the opposing fans, players, and the game itself are absent from the piece, focusing entirely on the emotional expression of the supporters. This absence, combined with the work’s compositional and conceptual sophistication, urges viewers to reflect and engage on their own terms.

Khaled’s background in Hip-Hop production, social work in Western Sydney, and music composition for film and video lends a unique richness to his visual arts practice. His work is conceptually and contextually rigorous. He has had an undeniable creative impact for more than three decades.

I first met Khaled in 2010 during my university placement at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC). At the time, he was the Community and Cultural Engagement Officer and an unsung leader in the organisation. He encouraged me to think critically about social and cultural engagement; how contemporary art is an incredibly powerful tool that can influence change and broaden our perspectives; and most importantly, demonstrated the responsibility of our roles as public servants representing the community in a cultural facility for local government. After my internship, I worked alongside him as a curator, collaborating on exhibitions like Landlock, 2013, and Nahrain: Two Rivers, 2014. These curatorial contributions intended to expand the voice of contextual diversity.

Our third curatorial collaboration was Khaled’s own survey exhibition, with the first chapter titled, A Promise held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, curated by Matt Cox. The second chapter, A Hope, was displayed at Campbelltown Arts Centre in 2022, featuring new commissions, re-imagined works and a suite of previous works including Thank You Very Much, 2006. Michael Dagostino, who was the Director of Campbelltown Arts Centre at the time, was incredibly supportive of Khaled and I and the vision for the exhibition. One pivotal work, Aajyna, originally presented at CPAC in 1998 as part of the Arabmade exhibition, was recreated for A Hope on a grand scale. The piece, involving coffee dripping down a canvas, evokes Khaled’s memories of seeking refuge with his family during the Lebanese Civil War. The water seeping into the basement was the only source of water, providing sustenance. Khaled recalls the pungency of Lebanese coffee and the deep, bass vibrations echoing through the building. He maintains that the work is an act of resilience in the face of uncertainty and anxiety. By amplifying the scale of the piece, Khaled and I explored how cultural memories, particularly those tied to displacement, evolve over time. The recreation of Aajyna speaks to resilience in the face of adversity. The unacceptable actions of Creative Australia’s unjust decision to rescind on Khaled’s selection to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale will never be forgotten.

It is ironic that the two exhibitions of Khaled’s survey were titled, A Promise and A Hope. Khaled was promised one thing and then it was taken from him abruptly. Given Khaled’s contributions over the past three decades to the creative sector, we need to band together not only to provide Khaled with hope, but to give our sector and communities hope that trust can be restored. Khaled epitomises values that are desperately needed in the world. His representation and visibility cannot be underestimated or ignored. Khaled’s practice opens our hearts and our minds to the infinite possibilities of art to influence a better world that is open, considerate, and empathetic. It is the real stories and real connections he seeks to bind us together despite our differences. A pertinent reminder that there is always room to care; to be accountable; to cling on to hope; to reinstate Khaled and Michael; to regain the trust of our sector and our communities.

This text is an abbreviated excerpt from Khaled Sabsabi  (Bandicoot Publishing, 2023)