40th EVA International partnership with The Grove and artist Navine G. Dossos

We’re delighted to announce a new partnership with The Grove veggie kitchen (Cecil Street, Limerick) as part of the 40th EVA International – Ireland’s Biennial of Contemporary Art. The partnership between EVA and The Grove will involve the work of international artist Navine G. Dossos in the development of a large-scale mural, tableware, and paintings – all set within the interior of the cafe. The new work will form part of the Guest Programme of 40th EVA International, curated by Sebastian Cichocki.

Navine G. Dossos says, ‘’The Grove is a site-specific mural in a vegetarian restaurant in Limerick that bears the same name. Owned by mother and daughter – Kate Whelan and Sue Hassett – it started life as the longest running health food shop in Limerick forty years ago, and evolved into a restaurant that remains the only meat-free eatery in the city. The inside of this space will be painted using motifs drawn from the local edible flora of the region, focussing on plants that have long been part of Ancient Irish foodways, as well as still being still freely available today to anyone out foraging in the landscape. Hazel nuts, wild cherries, hops, fat hen, wild garlic and nettles are just a few of the plants depicted, and the work extends from the walls onto ceramics and watercolour paintings at each table. Intertwined among the flora are various political, cultural and prosaic symbols that relate to the contemporary language of choosing to be meat-free.”

The 40th EVA International will feature overall 50+ Irish and international artists whose works will be presented across various venues and sites in Limerick city, taking place from 31st August through to 29th October, 2023.