This final volume of Dennis Spiteri’s paintings completes the journey through his work and brings us up to the present. From the exuberant and sometimes violent images in the Angels series, to the more benign presence in A Mass of Life, Spiteri has traversed a vision that is in perpetual metamorphosis.

The title of this volume is a reference to the second string quartet of Arnold Schoenberg. The importance of music in Spiteri’s work has continued to grow.

The most significant life-changing event that occurred during the twenty-three year period covered in this volume was moving to the country in 2001 and the eventual building of his long desired studio and gallery in 2004.

Even though Spiteri’s creativity has branched out into other areas – namely photography and writing, the essence of his vision is found in his paintings - these remain his legacy. The work he has produced in the past forty-five years is as diverse as it is profoundly moving. He has always held the artist’s role in society in great standing. It was always up to the artist to show us the way forward and keep us on track as human beings. I think we can remind ourselves of the direction humankind should be taking by looking at and understanding these paintings. They will show us the tender depths from which they have sprung. They point towards hope.

About the Author

Dennis Spiteri was born in Malta in 1948 and migrated to Australia in 1954. He completed his art studies in 1969 at the National Gallery Art School in Melbourne, Victoria and has been painting ever since. He has also written and published a novel Confronting Mephistopheles. He lives in the Highlands in country Victoria about two hours north of Melbourne, where he has built a large studio / gallery to produce and exhibit his work.