The drawing of a powerful mural created by Irish artist Joe Caslin has been shortlisted by the National Gallery of Ireland for this year’s AIB National Portrait Prize. The mural, which can be seen on a building in Dublin city centre, portrays a trans man with a series of arrows piercing his chest and abdomen.
Titled ‘SEEN’, the 50ft public mural was unveiled in June 2026 after being installed at 180-187 Townsend Street, Dublin 2. In Caslin’s distinctive style, the artwork is a large-scale monochrome paper drawing pasted directly onto the building, depicting the young trans man standing upright while pierced by arrows representing the harm inflicted by external forces.
The mural was created in collaboration with LGBTQ+ Ukrainian refugees and migrants living in Ireland. It was the result of more than a year of development, including six months of workshops, gallery visits and collaborative design sessions involving 12 participants from the Irish Red Cross Ukrainian Community Centre.
Rooted in lived experiences, the artwork explores themes of identity, belonging, displacement, visibility and resilience. Despite the wounds inflicted by the hostility directed towards the trans community, represented by the arrows, the man is portrayed with an unwavering gaze, communicating resilience, dignity, and survival.
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On August 19, it was announced that the drawing for Joe Caslin’s mural has been shortlisted by the National Gallery of Ireland for this year’s AIB National Portrait Prize. Curated by Dr Brendan Rooney, Head Curator of the Gallery, the annual prize celebrates contemporary portraiture by Irish artists.
The winning artist will receive a €15,000 prize and a €5,000 commission for inclusion in the National Portrait Collection, with the competition culminating in an exhibition in the Portrait Gallery.
Sharing the news on social media, Caslin commented: “It took almost a year of rejection, pushback, disrespect, bureaucracy and a sixty-four-page submission to secure permission from the local authority to place this artwork in Dublin City’s public realm. Yet the curators and judges of this national prize can see the value of the portrait and want to exhibit it. That contrast speaks VOLUMES.
“Laying my ego aside, this recognition gives weight to people and experiences so often absent or pushed from public view. The work is about being seen, valued and celebrated. It asks some simple questions: who gets to be seen, where, and why that matters?”
Caslin thanked everyone who made the mural possible, concluding with: “Lastly, to the twelve Ukrainian refugees who co-designed this artwork with me, stand on this land knowing you are welcome and loved.”
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One of Ireland’s most recognisable public artists, Caslin is known for work that engages directly with social issues. Previous murals addressed subjects such as marriage equality, suicide prevention, homelessness, addiction, immigration, consent and gender-based violence.
His best-known mural is ‘The Claddagh Embrace’, a mural depicting two men embracing on a Dublin city building, which became an enduring symbol of the 2015 Marriage Referendum.
© 2026 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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