David Hurn

Born in 1934 and brought up in Cardiff, David Hurn is one of the leading figures in the world of photojournalism and was an early member of the prestigious Magnum Photos agency. He initially gained recognition as a freelance documentary photographer when he covered the Hungarian uprising in 1956, and over his long and varied subsequent career he has built a most influential body of work. As well as photographing cinema stars such as Sean Connery (as James Bond), Michael Caine, Audrey Hepburn and The Beatles, he captured memorable and searing images of the Aberfan disaster. He set up the Newport School of Documentary Photography in 1973.

David’s work has been published and exhibited internationally, and his impact on documentary photography remains significant. As well as his own contribution, he has donated his internationally significant collection of works by other photographers to Amgueddfa Cymru as a gift to the nation. He continues to document the world through his camera lens and a new collaboration with Richard King, Wales As Is, is forthcoming from Seren Books in 2025.