Brian McCarthy (b.1960) is an Irish artist based in Dublin. Working exclusively in oils, magical realism fused with political satire, is a central theme of his work. Fine art auctioneers, such as Christie's in London and Adam’s and Whyte's in Dublin, regularly feature Brian's work and his paintings can be found in numerous Irish and international private and corporate collections.

Elsewhere, paintings have been included in many group shows at commercial galleries in Ireland and the UK, as well as being exhibited in Dublin’s Douglas Hyde Gallery and the Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition, where in 2019 his portrait of RTE broadcaster Joe Duffy was exhibited.

This portrait was shortlisted for the 2019 Zurich Portrait Prize which was hosted by the National Gallery of Ireland.

Brian’s most recent solo exhibition, Boomtown, sold out within days of opening. It received widespread media attention for accurately capturing Ireland’s mood following the banking crisis and selected works have been used to design book covers and illustrate newspaper articles. A few examples include:

• Irish Independent: Dermot Desmond snaps up a dark portrait of troubled nation.

• A Country Call WAWWA: ‘Boomtown’ captures the mood of a broken society.

• Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA): Photostory of Ireland’s Boom.

• Ireland in the world order: A history of uneven development.

• Spacing Ireland: Place, society and culture in a post-boom era.

• Radio interview with Ray Burke on Dublin City FM's Artist's Space.

Venetian carnival masks were the focus of Brian’s equally successful Masquerade exhibition launched by Ireland’s former Taoiseach, the late Charles J. Haughey. Acclaimed by critics and collectors alike, it was described by writer Michael O’Sullivan as a “profound expression of painterly accomplishment and excellence”.