The Burning Tree 1978 - 1979

Editor: What strikes me first about this work is the texture—the palpable roughness of the paint makes me think about what Nolan might have been feeling in that moment, so immediate. Curator: Indeed. This is Sir Sidney Nolan's "The Burning Tree," housed here at the Tate. Note how Nolan uses the motif of the burning tree to suggest themes of destruction and perhaps even purification through fire. Editor: Looking closer, you can almost feel the heat radiating from that tree. I wonder, what kind of paints did he use? The thick application speaks to a certain urgency, or perhaps a struggle with the medium itself. Curator: The composition is quite striking, isn't it? The stark contrast between the cool blue sky and the fiery landscape below creates a tension that's hard to ignore. The figures also give a sense of the event's scale and historical context. Editor: For me, it raises questions about labor and resources. Where did Nolan source his materials? What was the economic landscape surrounding this piece's creation? Curator: Ultimately, the painting offers a powerful meditation on transformation. Editor: It definitely left me pondering the physical act of painting and its connection to the subject.