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Explore the widespread influence and cultural significance of Doug Auld’s iconic artwork. This collection includes internationally recognized works, such as the Absolut Vodka campaign as the brand’s 1993 Artist of the Year, alongside features in major publications and exhibitions.

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Absolut Auld.

Absolute Vodka "Artist of the Year" 1993

Absolut Vodka’s "Artist of the Year" campaign is part of the brand’s larger Absolut Art initiative, which began in the late 1980s and became an iconic part of their marketing strategy. The campaign showcased Absolut’s dedication to art and creativity, transforming the brand into a cultural icon.

The Absolut Art campaign kicked off in 1985 with the brand’s famous "Absolut Bottle" image, featuring the vodka bottle in various artistic contexts. It was one of the first advertising campaigns to blur the lines between art and marketing.

Absolut collaborated with contemporary artists, like Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who helped solidify the brand's connection to the world of modern art. By the 1990, Absolut Vodka introduced the "Artist of the Year" title to recognize outstanding contributions to visual arts. Absolut’s campaigns blurred the lines between branding and culture, making the "Artist of the Year" title a prestigious honor and embedding the brand firmly within the art world. Absolut has worked with a range of high-profile artists like David LaChapelle and Robert Rauschenberg, bringing attention to not just the product but also the art itself.

Doug Auld was honored as Absolut’s Artist of the Year in 1993, creating the iconic "Absolut Auld" advertisement, which featured a distinctive design incorporating bees spelling out the word "ABSOLUT' and a honeycomb pattern forming the iconic Absolut bottle shape, a testament to Auld's famed "dymorphic realism." This artwork was prominently featured in various global publications throughout the year, including Conde Nast, Rolling Stone and SPY magazines, cementing Auld's place in the ad industry.

"By making a monumental oil painting of a badly disfigured face, Auld evokes the absence of such faces from the art of the past – and from the larger social consciousness that past represents."

Portraiture's Harsh Lessons

June 24, 2006

Shayla, State of Grace

Outwin Finalist, The National Portrait Gallery

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, established in 1962, is dedicated to the collection, study, and exhibition of portraits of individuals who have made significant contributions to American history, culture, and society. The Gallery houses a vast collection of portraits that span centuries of American history, offering insight into the figures who have shaped the nation.

Launched in 2006, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition was created in honor of philanthropist and art collector Virginia Outwin Boochever, with the goal of showcasing excellence in contemporary portraiture. The competition has become one of the most prestigious in the country, providing a platform for emerging and established artists to present their interpretations of identity, culture, personal history, and the American experience.

In 2006, Doug Auld’s portrait Shayla was selected as a finalist for the Outwin Boochever competition, marking a historic moment in the world of contemporary portraiture. The painting, which depicts a 14-year-old burn survivor, captures the strength, resilience, and grace of the young subject. Shayla is part of Auld’s larger State of Grace series, which explores the lives of burn survivors and their journey of recovery.

The portrait is not only significant for its emotional depth and artistic precision but also for its historic placement in the National Portrait Gallery. Shayla was the first portrait of a burn survivor to be displayed at the Gallery, elevating the narrative of burn survivors to a broader audience.

Auld’s portrayal of Shayla stands as an iconic representation of the artist’s ability to capture both physical reality and emotional truth, making it a seminal piece in the history of the competition and a lasting contribution to the National Portrait Gallery's collection.