Hennessy and the National Gallery of Ireland have announced the 14 finalists chosen for the Hennessy Portrait Prize 2016. The finalists were selected from almost 400 entries encompassing a wide range of media and materials, by artists living in Ireland and Irish artists abroad.
The shortlisted artists for the Hennessy Portrait Prize 2016 are:
- Peter Bradley from Co. Galway; Bruja – oil on canvas
- Regina Carbayo from Spain, based in Co. Cork; Abuelo Pepe – graphite on paper
- Catherine Creaney from Co. Tyrone; This Too Will Pass – oil on canvas
- Gerry Davis from Co. Tipperary; Seán – oil on board
- Kim Haughton based in Dublin and New York; Gabriel Byrne, from the series ‘Portrait of a Century’ – archival C print on photo rag paper
- Stephen Johnston from Co. Down; Jennifer – oil on canvas (previously shortlisted in 2015 for a different work)
- Paul James Kearney from Co. Galway; Tom, Bath, Towel – digital drawing (tablet) printed on Fabriano paper
- John Lee (Laoi) from Co. Clare; Má under light – oil on canvas
- Angus Massey from Co. Dublin, based in Berlin; Twenty First Century Portrait Artist – video projection on terracotta bust
- Gavan McCullough based in Ireland and Germany; Imran – oil on canvas (previously shortlisted in 2014 for a different work)
- Tom McClean from Co. Laois, based in Co. Galway; Waiting Room – oil on canvas
- Leanne Mullen from Co. Louth; Someone’s Mother – oil on canvas
- Fergus A. Ryan from Co. Dublin; Harold – egg tempera on true gesso panel
- Vera Ryklova from the Czech Republic, based in Dublin; Untitled #5001, from the series ‘Aesthetic Distance’ – colour film photograph, archival pigment print mounted onto dibond
The shortlisted artists’ works will be exhibited in the National Gallery of Ireland from 26 November 2016 until 26 March 2017. On Tuesday, 29 November 2016, one artist will be announced as the winner of the Hennessy Portrait Prize 2016 and will receive a prize of €15,000. The winning artist will also be awarded a commission worth €5,000 to produce a portrait for inclusion in the National Portrait Collection. A welcome development in this year’s competition is the introduction of two additional awards of €1,500 for highly commended works.
