Print 12 1972

Curator: This is Sir Sidney Nolan's "Print 12," part of the Tate Collection, though it is undated. It certainly has a striking presence. Editor: It does. My immediate reaction is to the materiality - the texture, the deep reds and browns against the stark background. It feels almost primal. Curator: Indeed. The plant form, perhaps a stylized palm, rises like a totemic symbol. Consider its bifurcated top – does it evoke division, duality, or perhaps even unity? Editor: I’m curious about the printing process itself. Look at the striated background; it seems almost scratched into the surface. How does that contribute to the overall effect? Curator: I find those lines suggestive of rain or perhaps even tears, infusing the image with a sense of melancholy. Editor: And the repetition hints at mass production. Yet, the textures and imperfections give it a unique, handmade feel. Curator: It’s that tension that makes it so compelling, isn't it? Editor: Absolutely. It prompts us to think about both the physical labor and the symbolic weight.