Sownd

Cymru yn Fenis / Wales in Venice 2026 
Official Collateral Event of the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

An exhibition by Manon Awst + Dylan Huw
In collaboration with Oriel Myrddin and Oriel Davies

 

Sownd is a Cymraeg/Welsh word meaning both “stuck” and “structurally sound” and reflects our collaborative research on the unstable grounds of Welsh peatlands and the fragile ecologies of the Venetian lagoon. These sites underpin a tactile exploration of the precariously layered histories held within minoritised language cultures.

The exhibition’s main architectural throughline is a wooden structure developed with PegwA which guides (or obstructs) the visitor’s path through the installation’s three rooms. It echoes the boardwalks found on wet, boggy grounds, and the passerelle in Venice, pathways constructed when the city faces acqua alta (high water).

The exhibition is presented at Istituto Santa Maria della Pietà, located just off Riva degli Schavoni within accessible walking distance to the main Biennale Giardini and Arsenale sites and runs until 22 November 2026.

Three site-specific events on Welsh peatlands will run in parallel with the exhibition.

More info here

Cymru yn Fenis / Wales in Venice 2026 is commissioned and managed by Arts Council of Wales and Wales Arts International with support and collaboration from the Welsh Government and British Council.  

Collaborators on the exhibition include We are here Venice, PegwA, Tŷ Syml, Ursula Ströbele, Carwyn Graves, Becca Voelcker, Freya Dooley and Catrin Menai. 

We’re very grateful for the material donations from Anglesey Masonry, Pwllpeirian Upland Research Centre, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Little Greene and Carlo Marchesi.