Shortlisted for the Zurich Portrait Prize 2023, National Gallery of Ireland

Photographs, Diptych, 29.7cm x 42cm each

Exhibition Dates: 2 December 2023 – 10 March 2024, National Gallery of Ireland

“I took these photos straight after waking. ‘Before’ is my just woken up face, an act of defiance. ‘After’, with mask in place, I am acceptable. I want to challenge the idea of the persona, which lies between our ego and society and is distorted further by social media culture, packaged ‘transformations’, and the incessant need for validation. I am both of these people. In making this work, I am questioning the way we curate and present ourselves.”

Before and After was shortlisted by judges – Dorothy Cross, artist, Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London, and Anne Stewart, Senior Curator of Art, National Museums Northern Ireland.