Figures 1966

Editor: This is "Figures" by Sir Sidney Nolan. It's this intense, almost overwhelming image rendered in deep reds and blacks. It feels raw and unsettling to me. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Raw is a good word. It's like Nolan scraped these figures from his subconscious. The red is so visceral, isn't it? It reminds me of the Australian outback, both beautiful and unforgiving. Do you feel a sense of vulnerability in these figures? Editor: Definitely. They seem exposed, almost like they're trying to hide. Curator: Perhaps they are. Nolan often explored themes of isolation and the human condition. This print feels like a glimpse into a private, almost painful, moment. Editor: I see that now. I initially focused on the colour, but it's the figures' struggle that lingers. Curator: Exactly! It's in that tension, that push and pull, that the real power lies.