Introduction
EVA International (formerly Exhibition of Visual Art) stands as Ireland's preeminent biennial of contemporary art and one of Europe's longest-running visual arts events. Founded in 1977 in Limerick, EVA has evolved from a modest showcase for Irish artists into a globally significant platform for artistic exchange and critical discourse, creating vital conversations between Irish and international perspectives.
Unlike the spectacle-driven mega-biennials that dominate the global art calendar, EVA maintains a distinctly thoughtful approach, emphasizing research-based practices, site-responsive commissions, and meaningful engagement with Limerick's complex histories. The biennial transforms venues throughout the medieval cityâfrom established museums to post-industrial spaces and public sitesâcreating a distributed exhibition that rewards exploration and deep engagement.
What distinguishes EVA is its commitment to artist-centered curation and socially engaged practices. Each edition is developed by a different guest curator who brings fresh perspectives while building upon the biennial's rich legacy. Through its rotating curatorial model, EVA has consistently addressed urgent contemporary issuesâpostcolonial conditions, migration, institutional critique, climate crisisâwhile maintaining a deep connection to Ireland's specific cultural and political context at the western edge of Europe.
In the News
Current coverage of EVA International
From the Edge of Europe: How EVA International Reimagined the Biennial Beyond the Center
On a rain-swept evening in April 1977, a small group of artists and educators gathered in Limerick's Belltable Arts Centre to launch an event they called the "Exhibition of Visual Art." Their ambitions were modest: to create a platform for Irish artists largely overlooked by Dublin's institutional gatekeepers, and to bring contemporary international perspectives to Ireland's mid-western city. No one could have predicted that this regional initiative would evolve into one of Europe's most enduring and intellectually rigorous biennials, one that would fundamentally challenge the geography of contemporary art and reimagine what a biennial could be beyond the centers of global power.
EVA's emergence in Limerickâa provincial city with a complex history of economic struggle and cultural resilienceâwas itself a radical statement. In the late 1970s, the global contemporary art world was still firmly oriented around a Western European and North American axis, with emerging biennials largely following Venice's template of national pavilions and cultural diplomacy. Limerick, with its medieval core and post-industrial periphery, offered an entirely different contextâone that demanded different modes of artistic engagement and institutional practice.
"The genius of EVA has always been its ability to turn apparent limitations into conceptual strengths," reflects Paul O'Neill, the Irish curator and theorist who directed EVA's 2016 edition. "Without the resources of Venice or documenta, without the cultural tourism infrastructure of major capitals, EVA had to develop its own modelâone that was more embedded, more discursive, more process-oriented. This approach, which might have seemed marginal in the 1980s and 1990s, now appears prescient in an era when the conventional biennial format faces increasing critique."
EVA's evolution can be understood through several pivotal transformations. The first came in the early 1990s, when the exhibition shifted from an annual juried show primarily featuring Irish artists to a biennial with international guest curators. This change coincided with significant developments in Ireland's cultural landscapeâthe emergence of a more globally-connected art scene, increased arts funding following economic growth, and a broader reassessment of Irish identity in a rapidly changing world.
A second crucial shift occurred in the early 2000s, when EVA began more explicitly engaging with socio-political contexts and postcolonial perspectives. The appointment of curators like Salah Hassan, Zdenka Badovinac, and later Koyo Kouoh reflected a commitment to positioning Ireland's experience within broader global conversations about power, representation, and historical memory. This approach found its most powerful expression in Kouoh's 2016 edition, "Still (the) Barbarians," which coincided with the centenary of the Easter Rising and created profound resonances between Ireland's postcolonial condition and similar struggles worldwide.
"What made 'Still (the) Barbarians' so significant was its refusal of exceptionalism," notes cultural theorist Lucy Lippard, who visited the exhibition. "By placing Ireland's anti-colonial struggle in dialogue with parallel movements in Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere, the exhibition created a different geopolitical mapâone where Limerick was not at the periphery but at the intersection of global historical currents."
Perhaps most significantly, EVA has consistently prioritized process over spectacle, developing an exhibition model that unfolds through extended research, community engagement, and public discourse. Unlike biennials that emphasize the spectacular unveiling of finished works, EVA often features artists working in Limerick for extended periods, developing projects through direct engagement with local contexts and communities. This approach has produced some of the biennial's most memorable works, from Phil Collins' collaborative film projects with Limerick youth to Isabel Nolan's investigations of local medieval architecture.
The city itself has played a crucial role in shaping EVA's distinctive character. Limerick's complex urban fabricâits medieval core, Georgian thoroughfares, industrial relics, and modernist interventionsâprovides a richly layered context for artistic exploration. Artists participating in EVA have consistently engaged with these varied environments, from Cleeve's Condensed Milk Factory, a vast industrial complex that has hosted large-scale installations, to King John's Castle, whose medieval chambers have framed contemporary video works in provocative dialogue with Ireland's complex histories.
"What's remarkable about EVA is how it activates the entire city," observes Annie Fletcher, who curated the 2018 edition. "It's not contained within white cube spaces or cultural quarters but extends into neglected buildings, public squares, and everyday environments. This distributed model creates a different kind of visitor experienceâmore ambulatory, more exploratory, more open to chance encounters and unexpected connections."
As EVA approaches its 50th anniversary, its significance extends far beyond Ireland. The biennial has become a vital counterpoint to the increasingly homogenized and market-driven art world, demonstrating how meaningful artistic discourse can emerge from specific local contexts while engaging with global concerns. In an era of climate crisis, when the carbon footprint of international art events faces increasing scrutiny, EVA's model of deep engagement with place, emphasis on research and discourse, and commitment to social relevance offers an alternative vision of what a biennial can be.
"The future of biennials may look more like EVA than Venice," suggests curator Hou Hanru, who directed the 2008 edition. "Not because EVA will grow to Venice's scale, but because the qualities EVA has cultivatedâsituatedness, critical discourse, social engagementâare increasingly essential in a world facing urgent ecological and political challenges."
From its modest beginnings on Europe's western edge, EVA International has evolved into something remarkable: not just a showcase for contemporary art, but a laboratory for reimagining what art institutions can be and do in the twenty-first century. Its continued vitality offers a powerful reminder that innovation often emerges from the margins, and that sometimes, to see the future of contemporary art, one must look not to the centers of power but to the thoughtful experiments unfolding at the edge.
Artistic Vision & Themes
EVA International consistently engages with themes at the intersection of global urgencies and local contexts, creating a distinctive curatorial perspective from Ireland's position at Europe's western edge. The biennial's thematic concerns have evolved alongside broader developments in contemporary art discourse, from early emphasis on formalist experimentation to more recent engagements with decolonial theory, ecological crisis, and digital transformation.
Throughout its history, several conceptual threads have remained constant. The examination of postcolonial conditionsâboth Ireland's specific historical experience and parallel struggles globallyâhas been a recurring concern, explored through different curatorial lenses. This engagement reached its most explicit articulation in Koyo Kouoh's 2016 edition "Still (the) Barbarians," which coincided with the centenary of Ireland's Easter Rising and examined the enduring legacies of colonialism across multiple geographies and temporalities.
The politics of place and site-specificity represent another defining feature of EVA's approach. Many participating artists develop work through extended engagement with Limerick's complex urban fabric, from its medieval architecture to post-industrial sites. This emphasis on situated knowledge and embedded practice distinguishes EVA from more nomadic or spectacle-oriented biennials, creating meaningful connections between international artistic perspectives and specific local contexts.
Recent editions have increasingly addressed urgent planetary concernsâclimate crisis, migration, technological transformationâwhile maintaining connection to Ireland's particular social and environmental conditions. The 41st edition, curated by Ama Josephine Budge under the theme "Porous Borders, Hidden Histories," extends these investigations through an ecological framework that examines how bordersâgeographical, conceptual, and temporalâboth separate and connect, particularly in relation to histories that have been systematically obscured or erased.
History & Legacy
Founded in 1977 by Limerick-based artists and educators, EVA (Exhibition of Visual Art) began as an annual juried exhibition showcasing Irish artists at a time when opportunities for contemporary art presentation outside Dublin were extremely limited. This regional initiative gradually evolved into a platform with international significance, driven by both artistic ambition and the complex cultural politics of post-independence Ireland.
The transition to a biennial format with international guest curators in the early 1990s marked a crucial turning point, coinciding with Ireland's increased global connections and a reassessment of Irish cultural identity beyond nationalist frameworks. The appointment of figures like Jan Hoet, Dan Cameron, and Salah Hassan as curators positioned EVA within global contemporary art networks while maintaining its distinctive character as an artist-centered platform responsive to specific contexts.
A second significant transformation came in 2010-2012, when the organization rebranded as "EVA International" under the directorship of Woodrow Kernohan, expanding its global reach while deepening its engagement with Limerick's particular histories and communities. This period also saw the development of more substantial commissioning structures, extended exhibition timelines, and expanded public programs that emphasized discursive and participatory approaches.
Founded as Exhibition of Visual Art, an annual juried show for Irish artists
First international guest curator appointed (Jan Hoet)
First non-Western curator (Salah Hassan) introduces postcolonial perspectives
Transition to biennial format as "ev+a" under Dan Cameron
Rebranded as EVA International with expanded global focus
Expanded program coinciding with Limerick's designation as Irish City of Culture
Koyo Kouoh's "Still (the) Barbarians" coincides with Easter Rising centenary
Phased approach adapted to pandemic conditions with extended programming
New strategic plan emphasizes ecological sustainability and digital access
Throughout these transformations, EVA has played a vital role in developing Ireland's contemporary art infrastructure, providing significant opportunities for Irish artists while introducing international perspectives to local audiences. Many artists who first exhibited at EVA have gone on to significant international careers, including Dorothy Cross, Willie Doherty, Duncan Campbell, and Jesse Jones, all of whom later represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale.
Beyond specific artists or exhibitions, EVA's most enduring legacy may be its contribution to reimagining what a biennial can be in relation to place, politics, and participation. By developing an approach that emphasizes research, discourse, and situated knowledge rather than spectacle or cultural tourism, EVA has created an alternative biennial model that has proven increasingly relevant in the face of global ecological and political challenges.
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Curatorial Approach
EVA International has developed a distinctive curatorial model that centers around invited guest curators who develop each edition's thematic framework and artist selection. These curators are typically internationally established figures who bring fresh perspectives to the biennial while engaging deeply with its specific context. This approach creates a productive tension between local grounding and global relevance, allowing each edition to maintain connection to EVA's history while exploring new artistic and curatorial directions.
The selection of guest curators has consistently prioritized diverse perspectives, with a particular emphasis on curators from postcolonial contexts whose work engages with questions of power, representation, and historical memory. Notable past curators include Bassam El Baroni (Egypt), Koyo Kouoh (Cameroon/Senegal), Inti Guerrero (Colombia), and Merve Elveren (Turkey), each of whom has brought distinct theoretical frameworks and networks to the biennial.
Beyond exhibition-making, EVA's curatorial approach encompasses extended research periods, substantial public programs, and publications that develop critical contexts for the presented works. This discursive dimension creates multiple points of entry for diverse audiences while positioning the biennial as a platform for knowledge production rather than merely a showcase for finished objects. The biennial also maintains a strong commitment to commissioning new work, with many participating artists developing projects through extended engagement with Limerick's specific histories, communities, and urban fabric.
Featured Projects
Throughout its history, EVA International has presented numerous significant works that exemplify its distinctive approach to site-responsive international art with local relevance. Many of these projects have emerged from sustained engagement with Limerick's physical and cultural landscape, creating meaningful connections between global artistic practices and specific Irish contexts.
A Visibility Matrix
Artists: Sven Anderson & Gerard Byrne
A multi-screen video installation exploring the changing conditions of image circulation and display in contemporary culture, presented in Limerick's historic Sailor's Home building and incorporating material from regional archives alongside international sources. The work created a meditation on the politics of visibility in a post-digital age, while activating a significant architectural site in the city center.
Caution! Fragile, Irish Linen
Artist: Otobong Nkanga
A research-based project examining the colonial histories and material connections between the Irish linen industry and West African cotton production, presented through performance, installation, and collaborative workshops with local textile workers. This work exemplified EVA's engagement with transhistorical and transnational connections, revealing overlooked relationships between Ireland and African nations through material culture and economic histories.
The Logical Conclusion
Artist: Sam Keogh
A multimedia installation combining sculpture, drawing, and performance that explored the politics of waste and environmental degradation through fantastical narrative and immersive environment, created specifically for a former industrial space in Limerick. The work transformed discarded materials into a surreal landscape that invited visitors to reconsider the ecological implications of contemporary consumption patterns and industrial processes.
Once Upon a Time
Artist: Bouchra Khalili
A film and installation project documenting oral histories of migration and political resistance in Ireland and North Africa, presented in conjunction with community-based workshops and public discussions about contemporary migration policies. By connecting Irish historical emigration with contemporary immigration experiences, the work created powerful parallels between different periods of human displacement while engaging directly with current political debates.
Video Experience
Experience the atmosphere of EVA International through this immersive visual journey through Limerick's transformed exhibition spaces and the artists who bring them to life.
Video: EVA International Exhibition Tour | Watch on YouTube
Venue Locations
EVA International utilizes multiple venues throughout Limerick city, transforming both established cultural institutions and temporarily repurposed spaces into exhibition sites. The distributed exhibition format encourages exploration of the city's diverse neighborhoods and architectural heritage.
- Limerick City Gallery of Art - Carnegie Building, Pery Square
- Hunt Museum - Custom House, Rutland Street
- Cleeve's Factory - O'Callaghan Strand (former industrial site)
- Mary Immaculate College - South Circular Road
- Sailor's Home - O'Curry Street
- FabLab Limerick - 7 Rutland Street
- Various public sites - Along Shannon River waterfront
Limerick City Guide
Navigate Ireland's historic Treaty City like a cultural insider with our curated guide to Limerick's creative quarters, hidden architectural gems, and authentic experiences beyond the biennial venues.
King John's Castle and St. Mary's Cathedral
Historic food market and cultural hub
Independent cafĂŠs and design shops
Historic bridges and riverside walks
Cultural Districts
- đ Georgian Quarter: Elegant 18th-century architecture around People's Park
- đ Newtown Pery: Cultural institutions and historic O'Connell Street
- đ Nicholas Street: Medieval thoroughfare with emerging creative spaces
- đ Treaty City Brewery: Craft brewing in 18th-century building with tours
Local Insider Tips
Limerick's best coffee can be found at Canteen on Catherine Street. For traditional Irish music, visit Dolan's Pub on Dock Road. The Curragower Bar offers excellent seafood with views of King John's Castle. Explore the lesser-known South Circular Road for fine Georgian architecture away from tourist routes.