Gray, Reginald (1930- ) - 1993 Political Refugees (Private Collection)
Oil tempera on canvas; 116 x 73 cm.
REGINALD GRAY is known as one of today's important portrait painters. He was born in Dublin in 1930. After studies at the National College of Art he became designer for the Pike and Gate Theatres Dublin and the Lyric Theatre London. He has had one-man exhibitions in Dublin, London, New York, Paris and Rouen and been represented at the Royal Academy and the Irish Exhibition of Living Art. His life portrait of Francis Bacon is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery London. In the late 1950s and early 60s Gray was part of The School of London which was led by Bacon, Freud and Auerbach. First one-man exhibition at Abbott & Holder Gallery, London, 1960. His portraits from life include writers Samuel Beckett and Jill Neville, the prince of Brunei, actors Julitte Binoche and Laurent Terzieff and Britpop Artist Justine Frischmann. He has created two bookcovers for the prominent Irish poet Derry O'Sullivan. The New York film director Kerry Franzman produced the film "Portrait of a Portrait Artist" on the life of Gray which was selected for the New York Film Festival December 2001. In February 2002, Gray was elected an official member of The American Society of Portrait Painters.
Gray, Reginald (1930- ) - 1993 Political Refugees (Private Collection)
Oil tempera on canvas; 116 x 73 cm.
REGINALD GRAY is known as one of today's important portrait painters. He was born in Dublin in 1930. After studies at the National College of Art he became designer for the Pike and Gate Theatres Dublin and the Lyric Theatre London. He has had one-man exhibitions in Dublin, London, New York, Paris and Rouen and been represented at the Royal Academy and the Irish Exhibition of Living Art. His life portrait of Francis Bacon is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery London. In the late 1950s and early 60s Gray was part of The School of London which was led by Bacon, Freud and Auerbach. First one-man exhibition at Abbott & Holder Gallery, London, 1960. His portraits from life include writers Samuel Beckett and Jill Neville, the prince of Brunei, actors Julitte Binoche and Laurent Terzieff and Britpop Artist Justine Frischmann. He has created two bookcovers for the prominent Irish poet Derry O'Sullivan. The New York film director Kerry Franzman produced the film "Portrait of a Portrait Artist" on the life of Gray which was selected for the New York Film Festival December 2001. In February 2002, Gray was elected an official member of The American Society of Portrait Painters.