Press Area

In Memory of Sir Kyffin Williams

Date Released: 1 September 2006

The sad news was received today of the death of Sir Kyffin Williams R.A. in his 89th year after a valiant and dogged battle with illness in which the artist certainly showed he had no intention of “going gentle into that Good Night”. He remained an artist to the end particularly drawing in his last months and for ever thinking and working towards his next exhibition in Cardiff or London. His work sits currently in the twentieth century hang in the National Portrait Gallery reminding us of what a robust eye was his in looking at people. He will remain iconic for a certain view of North Wales, its landscapes and people.
Kyffin Williams came late to painting…on doctor’s advice as he amusingly recalled on many occasions.
He studied at the Slade School, London,1941 to 1944 and after many years as an art teacher,in 1968 gained a Winston Churchill Fellowship to record the Welsh in Patagonia.

Williams’s first solo exhibition was held at P & D Colnaghi, London in 1949. Subsequent solo exhibitions were held at the Leicester Galleries, London, Glynn Vivian Museum & Art Gallery, , Howard Roberts Gallery, Cardiff and the Tegfryn Gallery, Menai Bridge. He exhibited at the Thackeray Gallery, London biennially from 1975 and regularly at the Albany Gallery, Cardiff. A retrospective of his work was held in 1987 at the National Museum Wales,and subsequently toured to the Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno and the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea. A portraits retrospective was held at Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni in 1993.
Williams was President of the Royal Cambrian Academy from 1969 to 1976 and again from 1992. He was made an Honorary Fellow of University College, Swansea (1989), University College, Bangor (1991) and University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1992). In 1991 he received the Medal of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. His home and memorable studio were on a quiet spot of Anglesey overlooking the Menai Straits.

Famously Sir Kyffin contrived to be both an establishment figure and a thorn often in the establishment’s side. He was passionate about art and cutting about much of the trends and tendencies in the contemporary period but broader in his taste and recognition of painters… video and installation were always going to raise his hackles.
The Arts Council of Wales is saddened by today’s news and mourns the loss from the Welsh scene of a popular and serious artist who nonetheless leaves his vision to live on in the memory.