RUA 143rd Annual Exhibition Portrait Winner

Congratulations to Daniel Nelis ARUA, the recipient of the Portrait Prize at the RUA 143rd Annual Exhibition, (Sponsored by Ross's Auctioneers & Valuers).

 

The Royal Ulster Academy (RUA) proudly announces the opening of its 143rd Annual Exhibition, taking place at the Ulster Museum from October 18, 2024, to January 6, 2025. This eagerly anticipated event stands as a highlight of Northern Ireland’s cultural calendar, showcasing an extraordinary array of artwork from both established and emerging artists.
 

As the largest and longest-standing body of practicing visual artists in Northern Ireland, founded in 1879, the RUA continues its tradition of excellence by providing a prestigious platform for artists across a wide range of disciplines. This year’s exhibition will feature nearly 300 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, audiovisual installations, ceramics, textiles, and more.
 

The exhibition will showcase works from approximately 80 members of the Academy, including some of Northern Ireland's most renowned artists, alongside 200 pieces selected from a public submission, offering a broad and inclusive representation of contemporary art. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to experience this vast collection in the renowned galleries of the Ulster Museum, located in the heart of Belfast’s Botanic Gardens.


We, at Ross's, feel very privileged to have been invited to pick a winner for the Portrait Prize at the RUA 143rd Annual Exhibition and Daniel's work stood out to us immediately.

 

Daniel Nelis is an award-winning Visual Artist, Art Educator, and Curator from Donegal. Daniel studied at the University of Ulster, obtaining BA in Fine Art Painting in 2014, and a PGCE in Art and Design in 2017. Daniel has also recently completed an MA in Art History, Collections & Curating at University College Dublin. Daniel has been awarded with many significant prizes, and his works have been exhibited at the RUA, RHA, RSA, and at the BP Portrait Award annual exhibitions. Significant public commissions include creating the first ever collaborative portrait of the then Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2019.

Daniel’s paintings are animated by the everyday, finding inspiration in the worked and empty landscapes surrounding his childhood home. For Daniel, these are contemplative spaces that offer a heightened awareness of the present, making visible the incursions of time on both figure and land.



You can view Daniel's award winning work, 'STUDY OF A GIRL IN LATE SPRING' at the RUA Exhibition in the Ulster Museum, Belfast, until January 6th 2025.
 
RUA 143rd Annual Exhibition Portrait Winner