Following the death of his wife, Ramona, in November 2018, Desmond Morris left his home in Oxford in June 2019 and moved to County Kildare in Ireland to live close to his family there.
In December 2020 he acquired a property near Dublin, which was transformed into a new art instiute. DIVA, The Dun Laoghaire Institute of the Visual Arts, in Mellifont Avenue. It houses two art galleries and two art lecture rooms. He sees it as his gift to Ireland for welcoming him in his final years. It opened its doors in June 2022 and has since held a series of exhibitions and many art classes.
In 2023, at the age of 95, he is stlll actively painting and writing new books. Since moving to Ireland he has held the following exhibitions of his paintings:
Farleys Gallery, Chiddinlgy, Sussex. DESMOND MORRIS. NEW WORK. 11 August - 13 October 2019.
RonaPainting Gallery, Ship Street, Oxford. DESMOND MORRIS 16 November - 24 December 2019.
Beaux Arts Gallery, Maddox Street, London. DESMOND MORRIS IN THE 20TH CENTURY. 14 October - 12 December 2020. & re-opens 11 January - 5 February 2021
RonaPainting Gallery, Walton Street, Oxford. DESMOND MORRIS. A NEW BESTIARY.
3 - 24 December 2020.
Redfern Gallery, Cork Street, London. DESMOND MORRIS. THE LAST SURREALIST. 11 May - 10 June 2022.
RonaPainting Gallery, Walton Street, Oxford. DESMOND MORRIS. SUMMER EXHIBITION. 7 - 30 July 2022.
DIVA, Mellifont Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, near Dublin. DESMOND MORRIS. CREATURES OF THE MIND. 15 - 22 September 2022.
RonaPainting Gallery, Walton Street, Oxford. DESMOND MORRIS. SUMMER EXHIBITION. 15 July - 26 August 2023.
