Kelly II 1973

Editor: Here we have Sir Sidney Nolan's "Kelly II" from the Tate. It's… well, it's definitely striking. I'm really drawn to the almost dreamlike quality of the Australian landscape, but what's your take? Curator: Dreamlike is perfect! Nolan's Kelly series is so powerful because it takes this mythical figure and places him within a very real, often harsh, environment. Do you think the landscape feels menacing or inviting? Editor: Maybe a bit of both? The yellow is warm, but the dark figure gives me pause. Curator: Exactly! He's playing with that tension, that duality, isn't he? Making us question our own feelings toward this outlaw. Perhaps Nolan is asking us to see ourselves in Kelly. Editor: I never thought about it that way! That is interesting!