Kenneth Hall (artist)
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Hall was a British artist who co-founded The White Stag group
with Basil Rakoczi
.
Born in Farnham
, Surrey and educated at Lancing College
, he was designing furniture in London before he showed his work to the dealer Lucy Wertheim
who offered to put him on at show at her gallery in Mayfair. Wertheim, along with Rakoczi
, became the two greatest influences on his art and she recalls their meeting in her 1947 book 'Adventure in Art': "Kenneth Hall tentatively submitted a portfolio of work to me in 1934—he has exhibited in no gallery up till then—and I was so thrilled with his paintings and especially his watercolours that I promised him an exhibition...When his exhibition took place a few months later I was able to place examples of his work in the hands of a couple of well known collectors"
From 1935 to 1938 Hall and Rakozci travelled Europe and acquainted themselves with the various movements of the time including Surrealism
. At the outbreak of World War II
the pair moved to Ireland
to try to avoid the conflict that was consuming Europe. They stopped first in Galway
where they did much good work before heading to Dublin, where The White Stag group
began to really take off. Hall organised the group's first exhibition held in April 1940, and it was received well, with praise from the Irish Times.
Despite the success of the exhibition and the growing depth and influence of the group in Dublin, as well as support from Mrs Wertheim in London, Hall was always racked by personal demons, and people found him hard to connect with. His personal relationship with Rakoczi it has been suggested was also part of the problem. According to Irish art critic Bruce Arnold, "No one understood anything about Kenneth Hall… He was depressive, he was gay, he had this love affair with Basil, who was bisexual and very active emotionally and sexually. Kenneth Hall couldn’t take that.”
In 1945 he returned to London and had an exhibition at Redfern Gallery, before moving to Mrs Wertheim
's flat in Manchester. It was there that suffering with the depression that had long plagued him, he committed suicide on 26 July 1946.
The White Stag group
The White Stag Group was a group of artists centred around the painters Basil Rakoczi and Kenneth Hall.Founded in London in 1935, the group moved to Ireland in 1939 and stayed until after the Second World War...
with Basil Rakoczi
Basil Rakoczi
Basil Ivan Rákóczi was an artist born in London. He was a prominent and leading member of the Irish art group, the White Stag, along with Kenneth Hall.-Biography:...
.
Born in Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, Surrey and educated at Lancing College
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
, he was designing furniture in London before he showed his work to the dealer Lucy Wertheim
Lucy Wertheim
Lucy Carrington Wertheim was a British Gallery owner who founded the Twenties Group of "English artists in their twenties" in 1930 and was Christopher Wood's main patron before his death....
who offered to put him on at show at her gallery in Mayfair. Wertheim, along with Rakoczi
Basil Rakoczi
Basil Ivan Rákóczi was an artist born in London. He was a prominent and leading member of the Irish art group, the White Stag, along with Kenneth Hall.-Biography:...
, became the two greatest influences on his art and she recalls their meeting in her 1947 book 'Adventure in Art': "Kenneth Hall tentatively submitted a portfolio of work to me in 1934—he has exhibited in no gallery up till then—and I was so thrilled with his paintings and especially his watercolours that I promised him an exhibition...When his exhibition took place a few months later I was able to place examples of his work in the hands of a couple of well known collectors"
From 1935 to 1938 Hall and Rakozci travelled Europe and acquainted themselves with the various movements of the time including Surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the pair moved to Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
to try to avoid the conflict that was consuming Europe. They stopped first in Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
where they did much good work before heading to Dublin, where The White Stag group
The White Stag group
The White Stag Group was a group of artists centred around the painters Basil Rakoczi and Kenneth Hall.Founded in London in 1935, the group moved to Ireland in 1939 and stayed until after the Second World War...
began to really take off. Hall organised the group's first exhibition held in April 1940, and it was received well, with praise from the Irish Times.
Despite the success of the exhibition and the growing depth and influence of the group in Dublin, as well as support from Mrs Wertheim in London, Hall was always racked by personal demons, and people found him hard to connect with. His personal relationship with Rakoczi it has been suggested was also part of the problem. According to Irish art critic Bruce Arnold, "No one understood anything about Kenneth Hall… He was depressive, he was gay, he had this love affair with Basil, who was bisexual and very active emotionally and sexually. Kenneth Hall couldn’t take that.”
In 1945 he returned to London and had an exhibition at Redfern Gallery, before moving to Mrs Wertheim
Lucy Wertheim
Lucy Carrington Wertheim was a British Gallery owner who founded the Twenties Group of "English artists in their twenties" in 1930 and was Christopher Wood's main patron before his death....
's flat in Manchester. It was there that suffering with the depression that had long plagued him, he committed suicide on 26 July 1946.