Artists

Khaled Sabsabi

Press release

The guiding principle of conference of one's self is the interconnectedness of the inner and outer self. The exhibition takes inspiration from the 12th-century Tasawwuf (Sufi) allegory The Conference of the Birds, by Farid al-Din Attar, which recounts an arduous pilgrimage resulting in a cathartic realisation: that the divine exists within the seekers themselves. By transforming the Pavilion into an immersive, multisensory encounter, Khaled invites visitors to reflect upon a shared human unity. Artist statement: "'conference of one's self' continues my poetic inquiry into spiritual and mundane journeys amidst commonality and difference, the work is an invitation to move towards a transformation where collective emotions and experiences may meet." In a major historic first for an Australian artist, Khaled Sabsabi will simultaneously present artworks in the Australia Pavilion in the Giardini and in La Biennale di Venezia's main exhibition, In Minor Keys. Commissioner: Creative Australia. Curator: Michael Dagostino.