An exhibition featuring works by Lebanese Australian artist Khaled Sabsabi that was called off by Monash University in March will open to the public next week, with the university announcing it had reversed its decision.
Monash University “postponed” Stolon Press: Flat Earth at Monash University Museum of Art (Muma) in Melbourne in the wake of Sabsabi being dumped as Australia’s representative at the 2026 Venice Biennale. It was the first time a show had been pulled in Muma’s 50-year history.
The exhibition, originally scheduled to open on 8 May, includes large “spiritual” calligraphic paintings by Sabsabi that he has made with Lebanese coffee and draw on his “personal memories of his childhood in Lebanon during the civil war”.
At the time of the postponement, a spokesperson for Monash claimed “consultation with our communities” had revealed that Muma needed “to deepen its collaboration and engagement on this exhibition. Postponing the event will allow this important work to be undertaken.”
Sources told Guardian Australia they feared the timing indicated the decision had been influenced by federal arts body Creative Australia’s cancellation of Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino’s contract to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale. That decision followed days of pressure from The Australian newspaper and Liberal politicians over Sabsabi’s use of footage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in old works.
Sabsabi’s participation in a mass boycott of the 2022 Sydney festival over the sponsorship of an event by the Israeli embassy was also singled out by The Australian, amid a wider increased scrutiny of public figures who criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza or spoke in support of Palestine after the start of the Israel-Gaza war.
Sabsabi has always fiercely rejected any claim that his work promotes antisemitism or terrorism, calling the suggestion “disgusting”. Thousands of artists and art experts have called on Creative Australia to reverse its decision.
On Thursday, Monash University confirmed Stolon Press: Flat Earth will open at Muma on 29 May, saying it was “postponed … while the University conducted consultations with Monash students and community”.
“The University concluded its engagement process with relevant staff and students, which has enabled us to consider a range of perspectives prior to the exhibition,” Monash said in a statement.
“The University recognises the work of Stolon Press as curator of, and featured artist in, the exhibition Flat Earth and its patience while the University conducted its consultations to ensure the exhibition proceeds in the manner and spirit originally curated by Stolon Press.”
A spokesperson for Monash University told Guardian Australia that Creative Australia’s decision was “completely unrelated” to the postponement, but did not answer questions about why it needed to conduct consultations or who it consulted.
On Thursday, Sabsabi thanked “the arts sector for its extraordinary commitment to standing up for artists and ideas”.
“Your collective voice has made it clear that our cultural institutions must be places of dialogue,” he said in a statement. “Your advocacy has not only helped reinstate this exhibition, but we hope that it has laid the groundwork for our reinstatement to the Venice Biennale in 2026.
“This is a deeply personal moment for me. I’m relieved that common sense has prevailed and we can move forward with the Flat Earth curatorial vision and exhibition at Muma. It’s a clear sign that truth still matters.
“This is also about more than one artist or one show, it’s about how we as an industry respond to challenges, stand by each other, and uphold the integrity of artistic expression.
“Let me be absolutely clear: I reject all forms of racism and hate. My practice is built on existence/coexistence, respect, and the urgent need to connect across cultural and political divides. This decision affirms that my work is understood in that spirit.
“This outcome was not achieved in isolation; it was the result of a shared determination to protect freedom of expression and support artists at a time when it matters most.
“I also want to sincerely thank and acknowledge the commitment of Stolon Press, the participating artists in Flat Earth, and the team at Muma who continued to engage with the process. This moment is a reminder that our institutions are stronger when they hold space with artists and curators for complexity and conversations.
“This is now an opportunity for Creative Australia to revisit its decision regarding Venice 2026. Michael and I remain committed to representing Australia on the world stage with integrity and purpose.”
Asked if she shared Sabsabi’s sentiment that “common sense has prevailed”, Muma director Dr Rebecca Coates said, “Absolutely.”
“At Muma we believe in working with artists, and that we contribute significantly to part of society that we see ourselves reflected in, and that really matters. So, yes – if common sense can prevail, and we can have a little part in that, that’s why we’re here and what we do.”
The Muma exhibition is curated by Stolon Press, a Sydney-based art and publishing collective run by Simryn Gill and Tom Melick, with Coates and Stephanie Berlangieri. As well as Sabsabi’s art, it also features works by writer and anthropologist Elisa Taber.