David Hurn began as a self-taught photographer. Starting out in his early years as an assistant at Reflex Agency, he quickly became one of Britain’s leading reportage photographers through his work in documenting the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
His continued curiosity in the world around him led Hurn to become part of the British and American social revolution of the 1960s, photographing many iconic figures from film and music, including The Beatles, Sean Connery, and Jane Fonda. In 1967 he joined Magnum Photo agency as a full member.
As well as being internationally renowned for his photographic work, David Hurn is also famous for having set up the School for Documentary Photography in Newport, Wales. After leaving in 1989, Hurn eventually turned away from documentary photojournalism to create work with a more personal approach, which he still creates today from his home in Tintern, Wales.
David Hurn has been photographing Wales – the people, landscape and culture – for over fifty years and continues to do so today as one of the longest serving members of the renowned Magnum Photos Agency.
This unique tailor-made exhibition of thirty photographs, all made within a thirty mile radius of Oriel Colwyn Gallery, provides a glimpse of north Wales captured in the preferred style of one of Britain’s most respected living documentary photographers.
"In the early 1970’s I returned from a hectic life in London to my home base in Cardiff, Wales, ostensibly to rest.
I enjoyed my time so much that I decided to stay, buy a cottage and spend one third of my future life photographing and trying to ‘discover my culture’.”
G.B. WALES. 1997. Snowdonia. Sheep shearing. © David Hurn/MAGNUM PHOTOS
“As always on a new project, I mapped out a ‘spiders web’ of very simplistic possibilities. Not so much as a bible but more of a safety net to make sure I didn’t stray too far in obscure directions.”
© David Hurn
“I had no interest in particular areas as such but was interested in work, sport, education, landscape etc, wherever that led me i.e. life as I saw it.”
G.B. WALES. 1986. Rhyl. The Sun Centre. © David Hurn/MAGNUM PHOTOS
“After fifty years of shooting I found that there was no spot in Wales from which I couldn’t make an exhibition within a twenty-five mile radius of that point – except the north coast…my excuse is half is water, thus the slight cheat: 30 Mile Radius.”
– David Hurn – May 2023
Exhibition Opening Event – Saturday 17th June.
DAVID HURN – Photographers Talk
‘How To When Floundering’
Sunday 18th June – 12pm (11.30am doors)
Limited Ticket Event (Please book your place in advance.)
We are pleased to announce Oriel Colwyn has collaborated with David Hurn and Offline Journal on the first of the new catalog exhibition publications announced in the latest issue #010 of Offline Journal.