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DeRay portrait named semifinalist for National Portrait Gallery exhibit
quinn russell brown
Dec 19, 2018
There are 80 semifinalists out of 2,675 submissions. Historically, they choose about 50 finalists. Our work will be taken to D.C. in February and judged in the spring. More information about the jury and process here.
The portrait is of Civil Rights activist DeRay Mckesson. It was taken in February 2018 for this article in Columns Magazine. DeRay was visiting the University of Washington campus and we had five minutes with him. I’ve chosen to print the piece at 40 x 28 inches.
Some more context: This is a nationwide portrait competition that happens every three years. The last person who won it, in 2016, was Amy Sherald, who went on to paint Michelle Obama. The first place winner will be “commissioned to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection.”
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