realism of peace comes to melbourne
[interview - 19 minutes 5 seconds]Australian war artist George Gittoes recently returned to Australia from working with IRA and Loyalist factions in Northern Ireland.
His exhibition 'Realism of Peace' concluded a two year tour of Australia when it opened at the Deutscher Gallery in Melbourne in July. Gittoes served with the Australian peace-keeping force in Somalia as the official war artist and 'Realism of Peace' is made up of drawings and paintings from his work in Somalia, Lebanon, the Oggaden and Cambodia.
George breaks with the war artist tradition. He is an advocate for peace. In his work he strives to represent both the plight of victims and the various sides of conflict. He says his art is actually about the things people do to one another. He is interested in helping the world to mature culturally so that we can stop doing each other harm.
In this interview with Vincent O'Donnell, George Gittoes discuses his early influences including experience with Black American artists in Harlem and his appreciation of the work of Vincent Van Gough.
The exhibition tour of 'Realism of Peace' is sponsored by the Australian Army. And George's next destination ? Angola.
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