the companion will be available from October 2026
Edited by José Da Silva and designed by Suzanne Boccalatte, the publication features writing by Michael Dagostino, Claire Dillon, Kon Gouriotis OAM, Tahmina Maskinyar, Hammad Nasar, Dr Nur Shkembi OAM, and Dr Mikala Tai.
Title: the companion
Editor: José Da Silva
Designer: Suzanne Boccalatte
Pub Date: 23 September 2026
Binding: Hardcover
Extent: 256 pages
Illustrations: 150 color images
Trim Size: 14.5 x 19.5 cm
ISBN: 978-3-69370-002-0 EN
Price: 32 euros
Image credit: the companion publication 2026 for Khaled Sabsabi’s presentations at Biennale Arte 2026. Photo courtesy: Suzanne Boccalatte
From October 2026, Creative Australia will publish the companion in collaboration with Spector Books, a richly illustrated publication designed to support Khaled Sabsabi’s presentation at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.
The hardcover publication documents and provides new insights on both exhibitions presented by Sabsabi, conference of one’s self at the Australia Pavilion curated by Michael Dagostino, and khalil within the international exhibition In Minor Keys, conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh. Hyperallergic described the works as ‘a solid hymn to the billions who carry melancholy and riotous joy in the same heart.’
In a historic first for an Australian artist, Sabsabi simultaneously presents work in the International Exhibition, In Minor Keys, and in the Australia Pavilion at this year’s Biennale Arte 2026. Sabsabi’s multisensory installations combine moving images, sound, and painting to explore spirituality, migration, and shared humanity. Central to the presentations is a philosophical framework drawn from tasawwuf (Sufi thought, in which spiritual transformation unfolds through reflection and collective experience, inviting audiences to reflect on the interconnectedness of the inner and outer self.
Edited by José Da Silva, Director of UNSW Galleries, Sydney, and designed by Suzanne Boccalatte, founder and creative director of Boccalatte design consultancy, the publication features essays by writers and academics who have followed Sabsabi’s career and practice, providing valuable perspectives and deeper understanding of the artist and his work. Contributors include: Michael Dagostino, curator of the Australia Pavilion; Claire Dillon, art historian and public scholar; Kon Gouriotis, managing director of Bandicoot Publishing, Art Almanac, and Artist Profile; Tahmina Maskinyar, researcher, writer, and curator at West Space, Melbourne; Hammad Nasar, curator, writer, and director of programmes and content at Ibraaz, London; Nur Shkembi, curator, writer, and art historian; and Mikala Tai, writer, curator, and cultural strategist.
