Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sidney Nolan. Ned Kelly Series at IMMA Dublin
Australian artist Sidney Nolan painted his Ned Kelly Series
of paintings between 1946 and 1947. The paintings numbering 27 in total depict
the life and times of the infamous Irish Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. Accompanied
by his fellow gang members Ned Kelly is portrayed wearing a black suit of
armour and accompanying distinctive helmet.
On first regarding the paintings they may seem almost
cartoonish. The colour of Kelly’s armour is in contrast to the vivid depictions
of the wild Australian bush. Be warned however humour was the furthest thing
from the painters mind. For Nolan the outlaw Ned Kelly stands for the rugged
individual striking out against the establishment. Kelly is the warrior chief
going into combat against the occupiers.
The paintings each of which is highly stylised, contain
vivid colours which makes them the perfect prism from which to view the
Australian outback. Up to this artists had struggle to depict their native countryside and had resorted to using formal
European methods which in fact were considered inadequate.
In time Nolan’s rendering of Ned Kelly dressed in a suit of
metal, complete with helmet would catapult him onto the world stage. The image
of Ned Kelly outlaw battling the dark forces of imperial oppression would
become part of Australian national consciousness.
Sidney Nolan, Ned Kelly Series runs in the Irish Museum of
Modern Art until 27th of January 2013.
Labels: Ned Kelly in Dublin
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