Kelly 1966 - 1967

Editor: This is "Kelly" by Sidney Nolan. It’s hard to put my finger on the date, but the medium looks like print. It's incredibly stark, violent even. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The simplified, almost childlike, imagery belies a complex cultural narrative. Consider the helmet with the eyes. What might that evoke in the Australian psyche? Editor: A sense of anonymity, menace? Perhaps something primal? Curator: Precisely. It’s a potent symbol, linking Kelly to both outlawry and a kind of tragic heroism. And the use of colour – the red so prominent – what emotions does that stir? Editor: Danger, blood, passion? It’s all very raw and immediate. Curator: Nolan taps into deeply rooted anxieties and fascinations within Australian identity. Seeing that, would you interpret the image differently now? Editor: Absolutely. It's less a depiction of violence, and more a commentary on the cultural weight of a legend. Curator: Indeed, the power of symbols to shape our understanding of history is quite remarkable.