A DOUBLE launch to our first eva International in two years did the energised and augmented exhibition of visual plus art (ev+a) justice on Friday 18 last. Press and artists met on the 10th floor glass platform of Riverpoint where two artists, Peruvian José Carlos Martinat and videographer Alice Rekab, ran separate installations in this pivotal birds-eye space. City arts officer Sheila Deegan and her eva co-directors Hugh Murray, Mike Fitzpatrick and Mary Conlon welcomed guests along with eva International’s director for 2012 and 2014, Woodrow Kernohan.
Eindhoven based curator Annie Fletcher was present as were Aoife Cox and Joanna Hopkins of Art Links community project, prior to the public opening that evening in Carnegie Building. Other curators with the sprawling event, working out of half a dozen city sites until August, include Kate Strain (‘Making a Scene – Raising the Ink Flag’), Michelle Horrigan, and Caelan Bristow, Marie Connole and Aaron Lawless of the ongoing Re-Posession.
Multiple videos at Belltable Arts Centre made for venue two for the investigative caravan, on then to Faber Studios for the ‘lost and found’ Re-Possession collection. Next to 103 O’Connell Street, another Creative Limerick arts space freed up from stagnation by City Council.
Back to Riverpoint, open daily, 10th floor. José Carlos Martinat’s monstrously beautiful edifice, comprised of a dozen Iconic buildings in Ireland, is titled ‘Vandalised Monuments: Power Abstraction 4’. Combining replicas of The Four Courts, Liberty Hall, and Limerick’s Yacht Club (social welfare office in Cecil Street) and an abstract homage to the dinosaur that is Parkway Valley site, its ‘Vandalised Moments’ title is an invitation.
The public can graffiti the (formerly white) elephant it was with one of the rainbow aerosol cans provided. A week ago, eva’s chairperson, architect Hugh Murray sprayed on a first happy splash, followed by Arts page’s sunset on Parkway Valley.
According to Martinat, his MDF architectural/ art project “was built in Mexico city, all parts of it produced in the past month. I hoped to have three months to do it in but the phone calls from Limerick kept coming”. Its thought-provoking grandeur was appropriate as launch exhibit for an eva International that is themed ‘After the Future’.
According to committee man Mike Fitzpatrick of LSAD, “eva International is biennial of now. We hope it can be ongoing and funding is according to our brethren on the Arts Council. Nothing is certain”.
The four directors work with a team of seven others as consultants. International curator Annie Fletcher of vanabbemusuem professed to be a supporter of ev+a since its inception: “eva is known worldwide by artists and curators. I have been to every exhibition and was thrilled to be asked to curate for the 2012 show”.
Scroll through www.eva.ie for an extensive programme of talks, interactive events and of course, the standing exhibitions. This weekend, note that everybody is invited to attend Art Links Limerick’s CATA (come and talk about it) this Saturday 26 at Shannon Rowing Club, Sarsfield Bridge 1-4pm for a discussion by artists, documentary makers and environmentalists on the River Shannon in our city.
