Mansfield 1978 - 1979

Editor: This is "Mansfield" by Sir Sidney Nolan. I find the landscape both inviting and isolating. What symbols or cultural memories resonate for you in this image? Curator: The dark, silhouetted figure immediately commands attention, doesn't it? It's reminiscent of Ned Kelly, a potent symbol of Australian identity, rebellion, and even vulnerability. Do you see how the landscape almost becomes a stage for this iconic figure? Editor: Yes, the vastness amplifies the figure's solitude. Curator: Precisely. Nolan taps into a collective memory, triggering complex emotions associated with the Kelly mythos – defiance, victimhood, the struggle against authority. It makes you ponder the enduring power of symbols, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. I’ll definitely consider the Kelly mythos in future readings of Nolan's work.