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RARE PHOTOS: Venice biennale event | Vintage Vibes

MEPs urge Commission leaders to stop Russia from returning to the Venice Biennale

MEPs have urged European Commission leaders to prevent Russia from participating in the Venice Biennale. The move has been backed by Ukraine's foreign policy chief who says "Russia rejects all proposals to end the war and rejects the dialogue that the organizers of the exhibition claim."

Euronews

South African work banned from Venice Biennale to be shown outside main event

South Africa’s Venice pavilion left empty after Gabrielle Goliath’s ‘highly divisive’ tribute to Palestinian poet blocked

The Guardian - UK

Venice Biennale risks losing EU funding over planned Russia involvement

European Commission says it will suspend €2m grant if organisers of arts festival go ahead with proposals

The Guardian - UK

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Europe condemns Trump’s oil sanctions move as Zelensky bemoans Middle East conflict

Zelensky says Trump’s move could net Moscow as much as $10bn to support Putin’s war on Ukraine

The Independent UK

'No time for grudges': artist duo's eyes set on Venice

Two artists dumped then brought back as Australia's representatives for the prestigious Venice Biennale want attention on their work, not an earlier fracas.

AAP

New power generation: Former diesel plant readies to become Uzbek contemporary art space

Uzbekistan will open a new Centre for Contemporary Arts at a historic former diesel power plant. The exhibition space's inaugural season includes international artists, a Venice Biennale collateral project and city-wide cultural festivals.

Euronews

Russia returns to the Venice Biennale amid fierce criticism

Even if Moscow was never formally banned from the most important contemporary art competition after its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this return - which coincides with a certain 'rehabilitation' of Russian athletes - is raising quite a few eyebrows.

Euronews

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After a turbulent year, Australia’s Khaled Sabsabi will present two works at the Venice Biennale

The artist, who was controversially revoked and then reinstated by his government, is planning a ‘nurturing experience’ to bring people together

The Guardian - AU

‘Do you want to say I’m dated?’ Artist Anne Imhof on her S&M Venice shocker – and the show that earned a mauling

She was the art world’s hottest ticket after her confrontational goths-and-dobermans show at the Venice Biennale. But did she get too cosy with the worlds of fashion and advertising?

The Guardian - UK

Tove, Frida and Schiaparelli: The 10 unmissable exhibitions and art events of 2026

Next year brings blockbuster shows from the Venice Biennale to a Frida Kahlo retrospective, plus the Middle East's most exciting new art fair.

Euronews

Creative Australia awards Khaled Sabsabi $100,000 grant months after dumping from Venice Biennale

Funding is a silver lining in a tumultuous year for the Lebanese-Australian artist from western Sydney

The Guardian - AU

Little trust in Creative Australia after Venice snafu

Trust in Creative Australia is at an all-time low due to the Venice Biennale controversy, but the decision to reinstate the artistic team may bring healing.

AAP

The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality

Creative Australia’s decision earlier this year to rescind the selection of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s 2026 representatives at the Venice Biennale sent shockwaves through the arts sector.

The Conversation

Creative Australia apologises to Khaled Sabsabi for ‘hurt and pain’ after Venice Biennale reinstatement

Wesley Enoch tells ABC RN the artist’s work was not about glorification of terrorism and says Sabsabi is ‘incredibly peace-loving’

The Guardian - AU

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The Conversation

Creative Australia’s backflip on Venice Biennale representatives exposes deep governance failures

The reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s representatives for the 2026 Venice Biennale closes a bruising recent cultural episode and exposes the fragility of the systems meant to protect artistic freedom in Australia.

AAP

Axed duo back in Biennale after 'avoidable' arts crisis

After a backflip, artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino have been reinstated as Australia's representatives at an international exhibition.

The Guardian - AU

Khaled Sabsabi reinstated as Venice Biennale representative after independent review into dumping

Artist says Creative Australia’s decision renews his confidence in integrity of body’s selection process

AAP

Long-awaited probe into dumped Biennale artists lands

After Australia's Venice Biennale picks were controversially dropped, Creative Australia promised a review. Four months later, it's complete.

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The Guardian - AU

Khaled Sabsabi says ‘common sense has prevailed’ after Monash University allows exhibition to go ahead

Flat Earth: Stolon Press, which was called off after Sabsabi was dumped as Australia’s representative at the Venice Biennale, will now open on 29 May

The Guardian - UK

Koyo Kouoh obituary

Cameroon-born art curator appointed last year as the director of the 2026 Venice Biennale

The Guardian - AU

‘A lot of pride and joy’: the First Nations team representing Australia at the Venice Biennale of Architecture

These seven architects hope to show First Nations design and connection to Country at the world’s most prestigious architecture exhibition

The Guardian - AU

Coalition to cut 10% of Creative Australia funding to divert to Melbourne Jewish Arts Quarter

Costings announcement follows the high-profile withdrawal of artist Khaled Sabsabi’s appointment as Australia’s Venice Biennale representative

The Guardian - AU

Khaled Sabsabi show cancelled one month after sacking from Venice Biennale

Monash University has ‘indefinitely postponed’ upcoming exhibition at Monash University Museum of Art in Melbourne, after ‘consultation with our communities’

The Conversation

Who gets to be political in Australian art?

When the invitation for artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale was rescinded, the statement from Creative Australia’s board said their selection now posed “an unacceptable risk” and “could undermine our goal of bringing Australians together”.

The Conversation

Creative Australia’s decisions should be peer reviewed and at arm’s length. Where did things go wrong?

For the past three weeks the arts have been dominated by a recent decision made by the board of Creative Australia. On February 7 it was announced Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino had been chosen as the artistic team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale in 2026.

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