Il Padiglione Irlanda alla Biennale Arte 2026 di Venezia parla di sogni e omaggia Aldo Manuzio
The Ireland Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale will present "Dreamshook," a project by Irish artist Isabel Nolan. The exhibition explores dream states and pays homage to the Venetian printer Aldo Manuzio, drawing on the humanist revolution between the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Nolan, who works across sculpture, embroidery, photography, and text, will create new tapestries, drawings, and sculptures that engage with classicism, Christianity, humanism, Irish heritage (including the Book of Kells), and the invention of printing. The project is curated by Georgina Jackson and produced by Cian O'Brien, with support from Culture Ireland and the Arts Council.
This pavilion matters because it represents Ireland's official participation in one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions, the Venice Biennale. Nolan's focus on the intersection of dreams, historical shifts, and cultural systems offers a timely meditation on how societies construct meaning through art, science, and religion. The exhibition will also tour Ireland after the Biennale, extending its impact beyond Venice and reinforcing Ireland's commitment to supporting contemporary artists on the global stage.