Art Gallery of NSW exhibits Sidney Nolan's early works

The Art Gallery of NSW is hosting Nolan: Origins, an exhibition exploring the formative years of Australian artist Sidney Nolan from the late 1930s until 1953.

The gallery features a large projection of filmed interviews where Nolan discusses his life, his art, and his views on Australia. Researchers and critics note that Nolan was a skilled and strategic communicator who often used his public persona to advocate for modern art.

While his voice is engaging, biographer Nancy Underhill describes him as a "bluffer" who sometimes provided enigmatic statements to maintain a sense of mystery around his work. For example, Nolan hinted at personal reasons for his affinity with the outlaw Ned Kelly but declined to provide specific details. The exhibition showcases how Nolan balanced intuitive painting with the pressures of creating a national art for Australia.

Some works, such as Cyclist (1945), carry personal codes related to his own life, while other pieces like Flour Lumper, Dimboola (1943) were intended by Nolan to be literal observations of his surroundings. The show remains open to the public until February 7, 2027.