Kelly IV 1965

Editor: This is Sir Sidney Nolan's "Kelly IV," and what strikes me is this figure with the boxy head, almost like a mechanical, dehumanized outlaw. How do you interpret the cultural weight of this image? Curator: The Kelly series is powerfully symbolic. Nolan taps into the Ned Kelly legend – a bushranger seen by some as a criminal and by others as a folk hero, resisting authority. Think about the way Nolan uses this imagery in relation to Australian identity. Editor: So, the stark presentation contributes to the mythologizing of Kelly, regardless of his actual deeds? Curator: Exactly. The simplified form allows him to become a symbol, open to interpretation and constantly reshaped by public discourse and the politics of the time. Consider how museums displaying this work contribute to that ongoing narrative. Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered how much the museum setting impacts the story. Curator: It’s all part of the construction of meaning.