Niamh O’Malley: Bringing a piece of Ireland to the Venice Biennale
Niamh O’Malley in her studio at Temple Bar Gallery & Studios. Picture: Dragana Jurišić
The Venice Biennale, or the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, as it is officially titled, is the world’s most prestigious showcase of the visual arts. Founded in 1895, it is, as its name suggests, usually staged every two years, though the Covid-19 pandemic saw the 2021 edition postponed to 2022.
The 59th edition of the Biennale, directed by the New York-based Italian curator Cecilia Alemani, and featuring work by 213 artists from 58 countries, opened this week and runs until November, under the title The Milk of Dreams. Alemani’s selection has seen a radical shift in female representation at the Biennale: until recently, 90% of the invited artists were men; this year, 90% are women.
