The work of one of Wales's most celebrated artists, known for his thickly layered depictions of his homeland's dramatic terrain, has been transformed into an immersive experience at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. According to The Guardian, hundreds of Kyffin Williams' paintings held in the library's collection have been animated and set to music, bringing his rugged landscapes, seascapes and rural scenes to audiences in a way that echoes similar treatments given to works by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne and David Hockney in recent years.
The Profiad Kyffin Experience opened to the public on 18 November 2026 and will remain at the library for three to five years. Nation.Cymru reported that the experience was officially unveiled on 12 November, with Williams's landscapes projected onto the National Library's exterior, and over 1,000 tickets were booked within 10 days of the announcement.
Morfudd Bevan, the art curator at the library, explained that a central objective was to introduce Williams, who died in 2006, and the institution itself to new audiences, particularly younger visitors. She described the artist's significance to Welsh cultural identity:
Kyffin is one of Wales's most important artists and he was embraced by the public. His work romanticised, encapsulated the meaning of the country and the idea of hiraeth [a Welsh word with no direct translation but which means something like a feeling of homesickness for a place that no longer exists or perhaps never did].
The library's relationship with Williams stretches back decades. In 1950, the institution acquired an oil painting of Cadair Idris, a beloved Welsh mountain, directly from the artist for £15 when he was teaching art in London—a work now valued at tens of thousands of pounds. After Williams returned to his birthplace on Ynys Môn (Anglesey) in north Wales, he became a familiar visitor to the library. Bevan recalled the informal atmosphere of his visits:
Someone would call 'Kyffin's here!' and people would go down and have a cup of tea with him.
Upon his death, Williams bequeathed his estate to the library, making it the world's largest repository of his work. The collection comprises 200 oil paintings, 300 original prints and more than 1,000 pieces on paper. These holdings have been stored in a secure storeroom, accessible to visitors by appointment who can request pieces be brought to the reading room or examine them alongside his palette, paint-spattered telephone and the boots he wore while traversing the hills and valleys he depicted.
The immersive experience marks 20 years since Williams entrusted much of his life's work to the National Library. The bilingual exhibition occupies three rooms positioned near one of the main entrances, offering views across the town and sea. The Rhyl Journal noted that the 30-minute experience was developed using technology by Focal Studios and Leo & Hyde, with sessions limited to 10 people at a time, making it considerably more intimate than the large-scale Van Gogh, Cézanne and Hockney exhibitions. Entry is free.
In the opening room, Sir Bryn Terfel, himself an avid collector of Williams' work, narrates the artist's story. The second space invites visitors to sit or stand as the landscapes, seascapes and blocks of colour swirl across the walls, floor and ceilings, accompanied by a Welsh chamber-folk string trio. In the final room, an extraordinary electronic version of a Williams self-portrait allows visitors to touch the projection and experience the texture of his distinctive palette knife technique, with the moustache rendered especially thickly to convey his characteristic impasto.
How did designers capture Williams' artistic style?
Dennis Outten, chief executive of Focal Studios, the primary designers of the exhibition, identified texture preservation as one of the central technical challenges. The team spent months studying the paintings from storage to determine how best to convey the sense of Williams' bold palette knife application without losing the tactile quality that defines his work.
We felt the pressure. You want to be true to his life, his work, his methods, and he's not around to give us any feedback.
Sensitive artistic decisions arose throughout development, including how to animate the movement of his farmers and the precise colour palette for his sunsets over the sea. Despite these considerations, Outten expressed confidence that Williams would have approved of the show's approach.
He was a cheeky chap, an amazing raconteur and an educator. We think he would have liked our approach.
What happens next?
Public sessions began on 18 November 2026, with tickets available for bookings through the end of March 2027. Advance booking is highly recommended due to the limited capacity and strong early demand. The experience will remain at the National Library of Wales for three to five years, offering an extended opportunity for visitors to engage with Williams' work in this innovative format.
