39th EVA International (Phase 1)

The 39th EVA International featured the work of Irish and international artists presented across venues in Limerick city and online. 

For the first time in EVA’s long history, and as a result of the ongoing pandemic, the programme is being delivered in three phases through 2020 and 2021. Phase 1 of the 39th EVA International included artist projects that took place in various venues, off-site and online, between 18 September and 15 November 2020. A number of presentations formed part of a Guest Programme curated by Merve Elveren, ‘Little did they know’, alongside newly commissioned works that were developed as part of EVA’s Platform Commissions and Partnership Projects initiatives. 

Anticipating stop-start closure of physical exhibition spaces for the duration of the pandemic, a regularly updated microsite was developed for the Guest Programme. It brought together content and resources that expanded upon individual works and research-based projects that are represented in the exhibition – also bringing it to a wider audience in both Ireland and beyond. 

The biennial identity reflected the multi-phase and multi-strand approach using layering and colour-coding to carry this through. The design infrastructure around the 39th EVA International was dictated by the unpredictable events of the year, with the intention of it being as flexible and agile as possible. A simple but comprehensive fold-out programme was produced to accompany Phase 1, while a number of mobile wooden structures were built to frame navigational maps, texts relating to exhibitions and other key information.