The old sod plays its part at the Venice Biennale

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Archiseek / Ireland / News / 2000 / June 22 2000: The old sod plays its part at the Venice Biennale

Improbable as it may seem, Ireland's first ever pavilion at the prestigious Venice Biennale, which opened at the weekend, is made from 21 tonnes, or 40,000 of Bord na Mona peat briquettes. But what a talking point it became, at least among the few who saw Tom de Paor's "allegorical construction". Described by its inventive young architect as "a sensory pavilion", this room-sized installation titled N3 (N to the power of three) and measuring some 3.5 cubic metres, simultaneously evokes the Gallarus oratory, neolithic passage tombs and even Catholic confessionals.

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