Ned Kelly 1971

Editor: This is Sir Sidney Nolan's "Ned Kelly" at the Tate. It's… striking. The iconic helmet is there, but it's set against this surreal, almost unsettling landscape. What are your thoughts on this image? Curator: Nolan’s Kelly series is fascinating in its role of myth-making. It takes this outlaw figure and places him within a landscape that is both Australian and psychologically charged. How do you see the landscape functioning here? Editor: I guess the landscape makes him feel more isolated, more of an outsider? Curator: Exactly. Nolan’s ‘Kelly’ is not just a historical figure, but a symbol. Consider how the stark, simplified forms contribute to the legend. It is a narrative of Australian identity as well. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I hadn't considered how the landscape and the simplified forms amplified the story. Curator: Precisely! It really makes you think about how we create heroes and villains through art.