Guy Wilkie Warren: Drawings and Photographs from Bougainville, PNG

Published on 08 February 2024

Rocky Hill War Memorial Museum is thrilled to be holding an exhibition of never before displayed drawings and photographs from the personal collection of one of Australia’s most renowned contemporary artists.

Guy Warren was born in Goulburn NSW on the 16th April 1921 in the front room of the family home at 37 Victoria Street.                 

At 21 he enlisted in the AIF and was later stationed in WW2 Bougainville as a Staff Sergeant with 136 Advance Supply Depot. Guy’s first impression of New Guinea was “…a revelation, a visual extravagance.” Much of his downtime was spent sketching and photographing his surroundings; the people, the landscape, the war.

Forms and motifs from Bougainville endured and were profoundly influential on Guys later works.

With more than 60 solo exhibitions, numerous awards, and leading positions in the Australian art scene; his works are held around Australia and across the world.

Guy Warren turns 103 on the 16th of April 2024. Until very recently he continued to work in his Sydney studio most days.

It is an honour and a privilege to exhibit these early works in his childhood city some 80 years after their creation in the WW2 jungles of Bougainville.

Opening Night: 1 March 2024, 5pm @ Rocky Hill War Memorial Museum

Opening by Brad Manera—Senior Historian and Curator, Anzac Memorial Sydney.

All Welcome—Please RSVP to museums@goulburn.nsw.gov.au for catering purposes.

The exhibition runs 10am to 4pm Monday; Wednesday; Friday; Saturday; Sunday and all public and school holidays till the 12th May 2024.

Our thanks go to King Street Gallery on William for partnering with us on this project – and to Guy, for his generosity in making these works available.