Niamh O'Malley's 'Gather' to Represent Ireland at 59th Venice Biennale in Arsenale Pavilion

Niamh O'Malley will represent Ireland at the 59th Venice Biennale, running from 23 April to 27 November 2022. Her exhibition 'Gather' will be installed in the Irish Pavilion located in the Arsenale, a space she describes as porous and threshold-like with high ceilings and arched walls. The exhibition features sculptures crafted from steel, wood, stone, and glass alongside moving-image works. These pieces reference functional objects and architectural structures, evoking sensations of touch through gestures of grabbing, holding, and caressing surfaces. O'Malley collaborated with Irish craftspeople to realize the artworks, acknowledging their essential expertise. She reflects on Ireland's artistic traditions, noting pioneering women like Eileen Gray and Mainie Jellett who are gaining recognition. The pavilion is curated by Temple Bar Gallery & Studios, a Dublin-based institution that will also tour the work in Ireland post-Biennale. O'Malley emphasizes the Biennale's importance as a melting pot of diverse national voices and unpredictable selections. She highlights the challenges for artists in Ireland, including housing and studio crises, while celebrating those who persist. The artist recalls her first Biennale visit in 1999/2000 during a Rome residency, describing the experience as otherworldly. She looks forward to visiting Carlo Scarpa's Tomba Brion near Venice if installation permits.