Portrait shortlists announced for 2019

Portrait artists, 26 in total, have been shortlisted for the National Gallery of Ireland’s Zurich Portrait Prize 2019. Working across a variety of disciplines, these creatives have made it through to the final stage of the competition, which received over 300 entries.

The winner of the Zurich Portrait Prize will receive a prize of €15,000 and a commission worth €5,000 to create a new work for inclusion in the National Portrait Collection. There will also be two awards of €1,500 for highly commended works. An exhibition of the shortlisted portraits will open at the National Gallery of Ireland on 5 October 2019. In a new partnership, the exhibition will run at Crawford Art Gallery from January to April 2020.

Judges for this year’s Zurich Portrait Prize are Mike Fitzpatrick, Dean of Limerick School of Art and Design; Professor Fiona Kearney, founding Director of the Glucksman; and Mick O'Dea, artist and member of the RHA.

A list of artist shortlisted for the Zurich Portrait Prize 2019 at the National Gallery of Ireland, can be found here. 

Zurich Young Portrait Prize 2019

In 2019, the National Gallery of Ireland introduced a new competition, the Zurich Young Portrait Prize. Playing an important role in the Gallery’s continued aim to foster and support creativity, originality and self-expression in children and young people, the Prize accepted entries from young people, up to age 18, of all abilities, from across the island of Ireland. 20 finalists in four categories (ages 6 and under, ages 7-11, ages 12-15 and ages 16-18) were chosen by a panel of external judges, and will be displayed at the Gallery from 5 October 2019. The overall winner will be awarded a personalised wooden box of high-quality art materials, specific to their choice of material in their portrait, and a cash prize of €500.

The Zurich Young Portrait Prize judges are artist Hetty Lawlor; photographer and filmmaker Perry Ogden; and Brendan Rooney, Head Curator at the National Gallery of Ireland.

The shortlist for the Zurich Young Portrait Prize 2019 at the National Gallery of Ireland can be found here.  

Neil Freshwater, CEO of Zurich, said, “Zurich is pleased at the high standard of the shortlisted works for the Zurich Portrait Prize 2019 at the National Gallery of Ireland. We really look forward to the shortlisted works being unveiled at the National Gallery in October before moving to the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork in 2020. Another first for this year is the inaugural Zurich Young Portrait Prize which brings a new dimension to our association with the Gallery. There is a freshness and vibrancy to these works which make us excited for the future talent which this competition is intended to foster.”

Sean Rainbird, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, added, “Through these competitions, the Gallery aims to foster an interest in contemporary portraiture amongst artists and art lovers alike. The exciting shortlists offer our visitors the chance to see incredible new work at the Gallery in the Autumn.  We’re also delighted to develop our important partnership with Zurich this year as we celebrate the inaugural Zurich Young Portrait Prize.”