Disguise 1967

Sidney Nolan's "Disguise" presents a stark landscape rendered with minimal lines, punctuated by figures that disrupt the visual plane. The work's simplicity of form, with its sketch-like quality, emphasizes the psychological space between the characters. Nolan's choice of a flattened perspective and sparse color palette directs our attention to the symbolic weight carried by each element. The dark, rectangular form obscuring the rider’s head contrasts with the naturalistic, if still sparse, depiction of the other figure. The rider's disguise might be seen as a comment on identity and representation. What does it mean to obscure oneself so thoroughly? The floral design on the figure standing across from the rider adds another layer of artifice, questioning authenticity and visibility. Ultimately, "Disguise" invites us to consider how meaning is constructed through both absence and presence. What truths, or falsehoods, are revealed by the masks we wear?