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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Darren McDonald

The Biologist (Bob Wong)

2021

Darling Portrait Prize 2022 Finalist

The Biologist (Bob Wong), 2021

'I am deeply impressed by Darren's ability to capture the essence of his subject – whether it be animal or human – with the barest of marks and the most minimalist of interventions. That really resonates with me as a biologist and the work I do trying to understand the natural world.' Born in Singapore and raised in Australia, Bob Wong is a Professor of Behavioural and Evolutionary Biology.

Darling Portrait Prize 2022
(More information, View all 39 paintings)

Self portrait and landscape with a dead horse
A moment in time
Triceratops
Ngurin-Nyunggu: Ngarluma Elder, Tim Douglas

Related information

by Darren McDonald Self Portrait with Stetson, 2011
by Darren McDonald Self Portrait with Stetson, 2011
by Darren McDonald Self Portrait with Stetson, 2011
by Darren McDonald Self Portrait with Stetson, 2011

Painting them gently

Magazine article by Penelope Grist, 2015

Penny Grist on motivation, method and melancholy in the portraiture of Darren McDonald.
Jaq Grantford 2020 2021
Jaq Grantford 2020 2021
Jaq Grantford 2020 2021
Jaq Grantford 2020 2021

Darling Portrait Prize 2022

Previous exhibition, 2022

The Darling Portrait Prize is a biennial national prize for Australian portrait painting honouring the legacy of Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG (1921-2015). The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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