Dan Llywelyn Hall Explained

Dan Llywelyn Hall (born 1980)[1] is an artist who grew up in Barry, South Wales. Known for his landscapes and portrait paintings, Hall has exhibited throughout the UK in public galleries such as the National Portrait Gallery with his portrait The Last Tommy.[2] In 2013 he was commissioned by the WRU to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II becoming the 133rd artist to sit portray her.[3]

In 2015, Hall became the first artist-in-residence at the Cannes Film Festival.[4] For the 75th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid, he made 133 portraits of all the men who participated in the mission.[5] In 2021, Hall completed an exhibition and book Walking with Offa / Cerdded gydag Offa[6] - a collaboration with poets including Gillian Clarke, Menna Elfyn, Owen Sheers and Ifor ap Glyn.

Portraits

In 2009 the artist had a sitting in Bath and made a portrait of the last surviving 'Tommy' veteran of WW1, Harry Patch.[7]

Dan Llywelyn Hall became the 133rd artist to officially paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II,[8] titled Icon and commissioned by the Welsh Rugby Union. In 2014, Hall's portrait of Prince William was unveiled in the Wales Office by the Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones.[9] In 2022, Hall attended the Queen's funeral procession and depicted it in the Queen's Procession in Real Time.[10] In 2024, his exhibition called The Reign featured portraits of Richard III, Mary I, Henry VI, Æthelstan, Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, Prince Harry (depicted as Bonnie Prince Charlie), and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (depicted as Elizabeth Woodville).[11]

In 2016 he painted a portrait of Barbara Windsor, titled An East End Girl. Windsor unveiled it at L'Escargot, London.[12]

Hall also made a portrait of pop singer Marc Almond, which Almond unveiled in 2019.[13]

In September 2023 a portrait of Owain Glyndwr was unveiled at Sycharth - the family home of the Welsh prince.

Public collections

Source:[14]

The Royal Collection with The Last Tommy (Harry Patch),[15] and The Last Volunteer (Henry Allingham),[16] both veterans of WW1.

MoMA Wales acquired Fan-Hir for its permanent collection in 2005.[17]

The National Library of Wales has 25 items by or related to Hall.[18]

The Contemporary Art Society of Wales has an oil painting of Hall's, The Wreckage of Carnedd Llewellyn.[19]

Campaigning

In 2017, Hall led a campaign to save Sheffield Street Trees in which he depicted some of the trees under threat.[20] [21]

In 2018, Hall was invited to support the anti-HS2 campaign which threatened Euston Square Gardens.[22]

In 2021, Hall was involved in a campaign to save parts of Offa's Dyke.[23]

Awards

In 2009 Hall was one of 51 exhibitors in the 2009 BP Portrait Award with The Last Tommy.[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mark . Evans . www.danlhall,com . Dan Llywelyn Hall.
  2. Web site: National Portrait Gallery . National Portrait Gallery.
  3. Web site: 1 May 2013 . Queen portrait revealed . Welsh Rugby Union.
  4. Web site: Neuendorf . Henri . 18 May 2015 . Meet the First Ever Official Artist in Residence at Cannes Film Festival . Artnet.
  5. News: 3 September 2018 . Dambusters heroes' pictures brought to life in Wales . 1 . BBC .
  6. Book: Llywleyn Hall, Dan . Walking with Offa / Cerdded gydag Offa . Ravenmade LTD . 2021 . 978-1-80049-826-6 . 1 . UK . English.
  7. Web site: Exhibitor . National Portrait Gallery.
  8. News: Mark . Brown . Dan Llywelyn Hall becomes 133rd artist to paint the Queen . The Guardian . 1 May 2013 . 27 October 2022.
  9. Web site: Secretary of State for Wales unveils new portrait of Duke of Cambridge . 26 Oct 2022 . www.gov.uk.
  10. News: Hayhurst . Claire . 19 September 2022 . Artist behind portrait of Queen paints her funeral procession . 1 . The Standard .
  11. News: Youngest ever artist to paint late Queen now takes on Harry and Meghan. The Independent. Claire. Hayhurst. 28 June 2024. 30 June 2024.
  12. News: Kennedy . Maev . Barbara Windsor unveils portrait showing her rarely seen serious side . 1 . The Guardian . 26 Oct 2022.
  13. Web site: Amnesty . Amnesty International Portrait Amnesty .
  14. News: Minchin . Rod . 16 September 2023 . Campaigners vow to continue fight to save home of ‘last Prince of Wales . The Independent .
  15. Web site: BBC .
  16. Web site: Not known . Not known . 2009 . The Last Volunteer . The Royal Collection.
  17. Web site: Fan-Hir .
  18. Web site: National Library of Wales . National Library of Wales.
  19. Web site: CASW .
  20. Book: 1. Woudstra, 2.Allen . The Politics of Street Trees . Routledge . 2022 . 9780367516284 . 1st . English.
  21. News: Pidd . Helen . 29 October 2017 . The Guardian . 1 . 29 October 2017.
  22. News: Gulliver . John . 8 Feb 2018 . HS2: Trees are immortalised by artist . 1 . Islington Tribune . 26 Oct 2022.
  23. News: Steven . Morris . 5 July 2021 . Campaign hopes to shore up Offa's Dyke against future threats . 1 . The Guardian . 26 Oct 2022.
  24. Web site: EXHIBITOR . National Portrait Gallery.