Comhghall Casey
Comhghall Casey was born in Co. Donegal in 1976. In 1994 he studied Foundation Art and Design at the Belfast School of Art, and in 1995 began the BA Hons Fine Art course at the same college, graduating in 1998 and beginning work as an artist. In 2000 he moved to Dublin where he has since been living and working. In 2017 he was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Ulster Academy.
Casey’s small-scale still-lives in oil are intimate studies of everyday objects such as vegetables, fruit and children’s toys, each is meticulously observed. Casey also produces regular self-portraits and has twice been a finalist in the Hennessey Portrait Award in the National Gallery. He has also been shortlisted three times for the internationally esteemed BP Portrait Award in the UK and has appeared as a contestant on Sky’s Portrait Artist of the year programme.Casey has received numerous important awards at the RHA and RUA (including the prestigious Hennessey Craig Scholarship) and his paintings have been selected by the Royal Academy in London from 2011 to 2016. His work features in many notable collections including the National Self Portrait Collection and the Ulster Museum. In 2015 An Post issued an edition of stamps featuring Casey’s toy paintings.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2023
Solo show, Beaux Arts Bath
2022
Domestic Bliss, Beaux Arts Bath
2018
Solomon Fine Art, Dublin
2016
Solomon Fine Art, Dublin
Retrospective, Strule Arts Centre, Omagh
2015
Barbara Stanley Gallery, London
2013
Solomon Fine Art, Dublin
2010
Mullan Gallery, Belfast
2009
Solomon Fine Art, Dublin
2008
Emer Gallery, Belfast
Selected Group exhibitions
1999, 2001-2021
Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition, RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin.
1996-1999, 2001-2012, 2014-2021
Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast.
2002, 2013, 2015
BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London.
2011-2013, 2016, 2019, 2020
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, Piccadilly, London.
2014, 2017, 2019, 2020
Zurich (formerly Hennessy) Portrait Prize, National Gallery Of Ireland, Dublin.
Awards
2017
The Adam’s Award, Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition 2017.
2014
Shortlisted, Hennessy Portrait Prize 2014, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.
2010
The Don Niccolo D’Ardia Caracciolo RHA Medal and Award, Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition 2010.
2008
Hennessy Craig Scholarship, Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition 2008.
2007
Runner Up, Hennessy Craig Scholarship, Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition 2007.
2006
Emer Gallery Prize, Best Self-Portrait, Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition 2006.
2004
Nominated, Hennessy Craig Scholarship, Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition 2004.
2003
Nominated, Hennessy Craig Scholarship, Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition 2003.
2002
Emer Gallery Prize, Best Self-Portrait, Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition 2002.
Fellowship, The Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Co.Mayo.
2000
Nominated, Victor Treacy Award, Butler Gallery, Kilkenny.
1999
Young Artist of the Year, Hunting Art Prizes, Royal College of Art, London.
Regional Prize (Belfast), Hunting Art Prizes, Royal College of Art, London.
Association of Art Historians Thesis Prize 1999.
Anderson Auctioneers and Valuers Prize, Best Self-Portrait, Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition 1999.
Fellowship, The Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Co.Mayo.
1996
Anderson Auctioneers and Valuers Prize, Best Self-Portrait, Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition 1996.
Collections
Ulster Museum.
Queen’s University Belfast.
Ballinglen Museum of Contemporary Art.
The National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland.
Axa Insurance (Ireland).
Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Office of Public Works.
Northern Ireland Department of the Environment.
Boyle Civic Art Collection
Private Collections.