Fishmongers, gimp suits, and aliens: Limerick’s EVA International art festival is a treat

“IT takes a village to raise a child” is the theme of this year’s EVA international art festival, which is now underway.

The festival – now in its 41st year – features work from over 35 artists and artist collectives, located in 14 different venues across the city. 

Hundreds gathered for the EVA launch in the Limerick City Gallery of Art on Friday, which was attended by Minister for Arts and Culture Patrick O’Donovan.

Mr O’Donovan revealed in his speech that he is personally fully committed to continuing basic income for artists, which was introduced as a pilot programme 2022 and is set to run until February 2026.

Hundreds gathered for the EVA launch in the Limerick City Gallery of Art last Friday

Friday saw a bewitching spoken-word performance by Lyónn Wolf in Dolans. Following Wolf’s strange ruminations of aliens, gender, and the body, Dyke Night then hosted a raunchy club night in collaboration with the Breeding Room for festival-goers. 

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Eimear Walshe’s Romantic Ireland (showing in Studio Saol) is an exceptionally cheeky, beautiful, and eerie highlight of the festival. Their video installation – which is soundtracked with an original opera – choreographs farmers in gimp masks being dragged through the mud. 

Walshe has represented Ireland at the Venice biennial and shown their work at IMMA – the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The artist is currently embroiled in a court case with two others following their arrest at a demonstration attempting to block U.S. military planes in Shannon Airport.

EVA has released a statement saying the Board Directors “stand in solidarity” with Walshe. 

Another must-see work is on show at Sadlier’s fishmongers, Roches Street. In a bizarre and wonderful display, Derry artist Ciarán Ó Dochairtaigh’s glasswork of strange and fluorescent organisms hangs over the heads of fish for sale. The work’s location allows viewers the opportunity to strike up conversation with the friendly and informed fishmonger at the counter. 

Romantic Ireland by Eimear Walshe

The festival features artists of international renown from as far as Columbia, Palestine, and New York. With all of the exhibits on for free, EVA has out-done itself in curating a broad selection of accessible contemporary art in Limerick.

EVA international art festival will run until October 26. The full lineup can be found here.