Dylan is Ainm Dom... (2018), as its Irish language title suggests, explores contemporary concerns with self-identity in modern Ireland. It is the work of rising artist Stephen Doyle and was previously shortlisted for the prestigious Zurich Portrait Prize 2018 at the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.

The setting is a park near seventeen-year-old Dylan’s home in Lucan, County Dublin. The familiar landscape gives the sitter an immediate connection to his heritage, while the medium of oil paint extends this sense of tradition. The artist’s use of bold neon, however, implies an ‘otherness’. This is thought to be the first artwork in the national collection that openly addresses transgender identity.

Mary McCarthy, our Director, acknowledges that Crawford Art Gallery “aims to reflect contemporary life and our audiences and to support artists at all stages of their careers. We are delighted to work with Stephen Doyle and we appreciate his generosity.”

Stephen Doyle (b.1994) is an Irish visual artist whose practice addresses queer identity and queer culture. He hopes that “any transgender individual who sees the work will be able to connect with it and know that they belong.” A graduate of CIT Crawford College of Art & Design, he is currently based in Backwater Artists Studios, Cork.

Dylan is Ainm Dom... (2018) by Stephen Doyle is now on display in advance of the launch of the ZURICH PORTRAIT PRIZE and Zurich YOUNG Portrait Prize.