Ally Fallon, a 27-year-old painter from Manchester, has been named the youngest winner in the history of the John Moores Painting Prize for his work "If You Were Certain, What Would You Do Then?" Fallon’s victory secures the artist a £25,000 award and a solo exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.
Judges praised Fallon’s work for its "deceptive simplicity," calling it a "brave risk-taking painting" that carries "nuanced humour." Fallon, a graduate of Manchester School of Art and the Apollo Painting School, said the award was "a very proud moment." He reflected on his recent return to the exhibition as a winner, saying: "It was only a few years ago I came here for the first time as a student, so to be standing here with my painting on the walls, it's a very prominent moment."
Fallon described paint as a material that "allows me to express an experience in a very unique way," underscoring his interest in the medium’s physical and expressive possibilities. The judges' remarks and Fallon’s comments highlight the prize’s focus on both technical accomplishment and conceptual ambition.
Named after its founding sponsor Sir John Moores, the John Moores Painting Prize is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious painting awards. First awarded in 1957, the prize has been a marker of career development for several notable artists, with past winners including David Hockney, Sarah Pickstone and Rose Wylie. The exhibition, traditionally staged outside London, has been viewed as an important platform for artists based in the north of England.
Fallon’s win continues the prize’s history of recognizing emerging and established talent. As this year’s recipient, Fallon will also gain the visibility of a high-profile solo show at the Walker Art Gallery, an opportunity that organizers and past winners have said can significantly raise an artist’s public profile and market prospects.
Organizers and commentators have regularly highlighted the prize’s role in broadening attention beyond the London-centred art scene, and Fallon’s Manchester roots were noted in his own remarks about the exhibition’s significance for Northern-based artists. The judges’ citation and Fallon’s statements together frame the award as both a personal milestone and a recognition of a practice that blends formal restraint with risk and humour.
The John Moores Painting Prize jury convenes to assess submissions from across the UK, selecting works that demonstrate strong painting practice and contemporary relevance. Fallon’s selection at 27 sets a new age benchmark for the prize, adding to its historical narrative while pointing to a newer generation of painters gaining national recognition.