First Class Marksman 1978 - 1979

Curator: I see an almost unsettling simplicity. Stark black figure, vibrant landscape. What do you make of the texture? Editor: This is Sir Sidney Nolan's "First Class Marksman," part of his Ned Kelly series. Look at the bold brushstrokes, the layering of paint to build up the Australian landscape. You can practically feel the heat and dust. Curator: Absolutely. And Kelly's helmet becomes this potent symbol of defiance, doesn't it? A mask and a shield, representing a history of struggle and resistance. Editor: Precisely. Nolan used industrial enamel paint, a practical, almost rebellious choice for the time. It speaks to Kelly's own pragmatism, his resourcefulness. Curator: It’s a fascinating tension between the rough materials and the iconic imagery. Editor: Indeed, the very act of painting him this way challenges the traditional hero narrative, doesn’t it? Curator: I see a potent commentary on how legends are made—constructed from both grand gestures and mundane realities. Editor: A powerful intersection of process and myth.