46 artists have been shortlisted from 13 counties across the island of Ireland in the National Gallery of Ireland’s Zurich Portrait Prize competition …
Main Image; Paul MacCormaic,’Annie Murphy,’ 2023.
WHAT: Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, explains, “With the annual Zurich Portrait Prize and Zurich Young Portrait Prize, our aim is to showcase the work of Irish artists and encourage an interest in contemporary Irish portraiture. Each year, the artists shortlisted demonstrate an incredible breadth of Irish artistic talent. We’re proud to partner with Zurich Insurance plc once again this year and we look forward to seeing who and what has inspired artists of all ages to create portraits in 2023.” 26 artists, working across a variety of media, have made it through to the final stage of the Zurich Portrait Prize, while 20 young artists aged between four and 18 have been shortlisted for the Zurich Young Portrait Prize.

Lee Welch, Jerry Saltz as Michealangelo “David”, 2023
HOW: The Zurich Portrait Prize shortlist includes painting, sculpture and photography, demonstrating the breadth of contemporary Irish art. The winner will receive a prize of €15,000 and will be commissioned to create a work for the national portrait collection, for which they will be awarded a further €5,000.
Two additional awards of €1,500 will be given to highly commended works. Judges for the Zurich Portrait Prize are Dorothy Cross RHA, artist, Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London, and Anne Stewart, Senior Curator of Art, National Museums Northern Ireland.

Lynn Kennedy, Orpen Minded, 2023
WHEN: Exhibitions of the shortlisted works in both competitions run at the National Gallery of Ireland from December 2 2023 and March 10 2024.

Ellius Grace, Sinéad O’Connor in Her Garden, 2021
WHO: Shortlisted artists for the Zurich Portrait Prize 2023 at the National Gallery of Ireland are:
Gerry Blake (Wicklow), Courtney, living on a bus, 2021, photograph
Jana Bulochova (Dublin), Infinite Self, 2021, photograph
Leo Byrne (Dublin), Sheik Mikailu Bah, 2022, photograph
Comhghall Casey (Tyrone/Dublin), Self Portrait, 2020, oil on board
Ana Colomer (Clare), (sea)Urchin, 2023, acrylic on tondo canvas
Shane Coughlan (Dublin), Patrick, back from the shops, 2023, photograph
Jonathan Daczkowski (Dublin), Chloe McCarthy, 2023, photograph
Aisling Dunne (Dublin), Before and After, 2023, photograph
Kit French (Cork), Self – Portrait – Light Through the Window, 2022, oil on canvas
Ellius Grace (Dublin), Sinéad O’Connor in Her Garden, 2021, photograph
Vanessa Jones (Dublin), Wall (self-portrait), 2022, oil on linen
Lynn Kennedy (Dublin), Orpen Minded, 2023, oil on canvas
Marie Le Men (Dublin), Seán Hillen, 2023, watercolour on paper
Sarah Liddane (Kerry), Waiting for inspiration, 2023, graphite and charcoal on paper
Paul MacCormaic (Dublin), Annie Murphy, former lover of Bishop Eamonn Casey, Mother of Peter Casey, at her home in California, 2023, acrylic and oil on canvas
Ryan O’Sullivan (Cork), Life’s a Drag, 2023, photograph
Mantas Poderys (Donegal), Shota, 2021, pastel on cotton paper
Katie Prior (Dublin), Self Portrait in Compact Mirror, 2023, oil on board
Sorcha Frances Ryder (Dublin), Wide Awake, 2023, photograph
David Sexton (Dublin), Jyellowl, 2021, photograph
Darragh Shanahan (Dublin), Lara, 2022, pinhole photograph
Marie Smith (Cavan), Armand, 2023, fired clay on wooden stand
David Stephenson (Wicklow), Ann and Ollie, Main Street, Wexford, 2023, photograph
Bob Tait (Dublin), Jim, 2023, photograph
Lee Welch (Dublin), Jerry Saltz as Michelangelo “David”, 2023, acrylic on polyester
Adrian Wojtas (Meath/Dublin), Manou, 2023, photograph
Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie

Gerry Blake, Courtney, living on a bus, 2021

David Stephenson, Ann and Ollie, Main Street, Wexford, 2023

Comhghall Casey, Self Portrait, 2020

Paul MacCormaic, Annie Murphy, former lover of Bishop Eamonn Casey, Mother of Peter Casey, at her home in California, 2023

Jonathan Daczkowski, Chloe McCarthy, 2023
Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie