Robert O'Brien

Robert O’Brien is a self-taught artist originally from London, now based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Working predominantly with portraiture, his practice focuses on the human face its structure, expression, and emotional presence. His painting process is fast and instinctive, favouring direct mark-making that allows each image to emerge intuitively.

O’Brien works primarily in oil paint, watercolour, pastel, wax crayon and coloured pencil appropriate to the mood and subject. His approach balances close observation with immediacy, resulting in portraits that are raw, direct, and psychologically attentive.

His work has been recognised through several major exhibitions and awards. O’Brien has been selected twice for the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, London, receiving Third Prize in 2008 for his portrait Hannah O’Brien. His work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery and toured nationally to venues including Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museum, Sunderland Museum and Winter Garden, and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. He has also been included in the National Portrait Gallery’s Mystery Postcard project and Portrait Gala events.

In 2016, O’Brien was ...

Selected Exhibitions

2026

Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2025

Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2020–2021

Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, Willis Museum & Sainsbury Gallery, Basingstoke

2016

Columbia Threadneedle Prize (Finalist Exhibition), Mall Galleries, London

Columbia Threadneedle Prize (Touring Exhibition), Palazzo Strozzi, Florence

Moving Art Project, Sweden

2015

BP Portrait Award (Touring Exhibition), Aberystwyth Arts Centre

BP Portrait Award (Touring Exhibition), Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

2014

BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London

BP Portrait Award (Touring Exhibition), Sunderland Museum & Winter Garden

Portrait Gala, National Portrait Gallery, London

2009

BP Portrait Award (Touring Exhibition), Aberystwyth Arts Centre

BP Portrait Award (Touring Exhibition), Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museum

Portrait Gala, National Portrait Gallery, London

2008

BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London

BP Portrait Award (Touring Exhibition), Wolverhampton Art Gallery