Doug Moran National Portrait Prize

Sydney College of the Arts graduate, Ben Quilty was announced the winner of the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize for his painting Jimmy Barnes, There but for the Grace of God Go I, no.2. The Moran is the richest portrait prize in the world valued at $150,000.

Nick Mitzevich, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize judge said, “Ben’s work re-invents the whole notion of what a portrait can be. The Jimmy Barnes portrait is forcing a faceoff with the subject.”

Mark Moran, CEO of the Moran Arts’ Foundation, said, “The Moran Prizes is now regaled as Australia’s premier art competition among artists as well as schools. The six million hits plus per annum on the Prizes’ dedicated website is evidence of how art is being engaged with at a grass roots levels across Australia.”

Quilty was also named runner up in this year’s Archibald Prize for a different portrait of the Cold Chisel singer. Quilty completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 1994 at SCA.

The Moran Prizes free exhibition is at the State Library of NSW until 3 May 2009, followed by a national tour.

Image: Ben Quilty, Jimmy Barnes, There but for the Grace of God Go I, no.2., 2009