The mythical power of love is the theme behind Sydney Peace Prize Winner George Gittoes latest exhibition. In a complete stylistic shift from his figurative documentation of war, Gittoes revisits an abstract style in his new exhibition. Opening September 19th, ‘Lovers’ explores the mystery of love.

For decades George Gittoes work has documented a disturbing and unrelenting trail across multiple platforms of war, genocide and vicious conflict. His figurative paintings are known to be evocative, sometimes disturbing and always frighteningly real as he holds a mirror up to mankind.

This year marks the 50th year of his incredible undeviating journey to document and throw a light on what humans are capable of in times of war and conflict. However, you won’t find the maimed or displaced in his latest exhibition.

Gittoes reveals that this theme has been the message central to his life’s work – ‘to make love on war’. This series of paintings are not unrelated to his previous works, rather they encapsulate everything that he has forever been trying to convey. Amidst all the pain and suffering, love can survive.

These abstract, mystical works are reminiscent of rarely seen Gittoes artworks from the late 1960’s. Gittoes has utilised wood block stamps collected over many years throughout Afghanistan. Some of which have been dated by Peshawar University as being over 1000 years old. The result is a collection of multi-dimensional and highly intricate artworks full of historical content and layers of meaning.