Monday, April 10, 2017

Three threads (part 3)

I have not thought about Sidney Nolan's work for a long time.  My first interest in him was drawn by Leda and the swan (image above from here).  I was a teenager and somehow had acquired a postcard of the work.  I knew about his Ned Kelly paintings, and other divers works; but I still do not know much at all about him and his work.
Sidney Nolan: In the cave (image from here)
I was fortunate while living in the USA to meet and make the acquaintance of his stepdaughter Jinx Nolan.  This was while I was still working in publishing, but she encouraged me to think seriously about coming to art later in life, and I found her and her work inspirational.  I was also inspired to seek out and read her mother, Cynthia Nolan's travel books.

Sidney Nolan: Woman and Billabong (image from here)
The exhibition at the Pallant Gallery was an opportunity to see my first display of several of Sidney Nolan's paintings.  Well, both my friend and I were wowed.
 
Sidney Nolan: Kelly, Spring (image from here)
All the emotion I had been lacking in the Pasmore exhibition was here, and how!   I love all this mythology, gesture, drama!  I was wondering how I could have lived this long and missed this much great art.  But maybe it's good to know that there are still artists out there whose work and working I still have to discover to my greater nourishment.
Articles here, here, and here, and a review on radio here.  I bought the catalogue where I shall start my researches.

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