The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan T.D., has announced the selection of Emmet Humphreys and Nathalie Weadick, on behalf of Galway City Council, as the curators to represent Ireland at the 20th International Architecture Exhibition at Venice, La Biennale di Venezia. Their project, RESIDUUM, was selected following an open call by Culture Ireland, in partnership with the Arts Council.
Speaking recently, Minister O’Donovan said: “I would like to congratulate the RESIDUUM team on being selected to represent Ireland at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale. The curators, on behalf of Galway City Council, along with their multidisciplinary team will, through their work, increase awareness of Ireland’s vibrant architecture sector on this important international stage. My Department through Culture Ireland commissions Ireland at Venice in partnership with the Arts Council.”
At the heart of RESIDUUM is an ambitious approach to city-making that addresses the interconnected challenges of housing, place-making and identity, weaving a richer and more coherent urban tapestry.
The curators will work with a multidisciplinary team comprising Alice Casey and Cian Deegan of TAKA Architects on exhibition design; Jim Byrne of Galway City Council on content coordination and research; Peter Maybury on identity and publication design; Frank Monahan of Architecture at the Edge Festival on the public programme; Caoimhín Corrigan as project manager; and Elaine White of Galway City Council as project administrator.
The 2027 exhibition will be a place where ideas are proposed, challenged and enriched ensuring that the exhibition is not an endpoint but an active part of Galway’s continuing transformation.
Emmet Humphreys and Nathalie Weadick, Curators of RESIDUUM commented: “We are delighted to be announced as the curators of the Irish Pavilion on behalf of Galway City Council. It is a tremendous honour to represent Ireland at the 20th International Architecture Exhibition at Venice. While rooted in Galway, RESIDUUM explores a timely and universally relevant challenge: how the overlooked potential embedded within our cities can help transform fragmented urban landscapes into connected, liveable places. RESIDUUM is intended to engage diverse audiences and inspire approaches that can help cities realise this potential.”
The Venice Architecture Biennale, which will run from May to November 2027, remains the most important global platform for the exhibition of architecture. In 2027 it will be curated by Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu with the title Do Architecture. The Biennale offers an unparallelled opportunity for Irish architects to engage with international audiences. Ireland at Venice 2027 builds on Ireland’s strong presence at the Venice Architecture Biennale in recent years. The 16th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2018 was curated by Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell of Grafton Architects.
Ireland at Venice is an initiative of Culture Ireland in partnership with the Arts Council. The selection of the team to represent Ireland was made following an open, competitive process, with international jury members and representatives of Culture Ireland and the Arts Council.
