Tibor Nagy

Tibor Nagy's paintings are the result of a stubborn determination to portray moments of his life and his homeland, Slovakia, in both realistic and abstract ways.

Since Tibor started to paint in oil, he has discovered the mysterious terrain between what is conveyed by our physical senses and what we perceive with our emotions. His paintings are genuine, personal confessions, with an emphasis on emotional context.

At the beginning of his artistic career, his style was still a combination of realism and abstraction. Later, in the 1980s, his style moved towards surrealism, combining different techniques and continuing to explore his own unique expression.

In 2005 Tibor finally painted his first 'plein air' (fr. - painting outdoors) his creation. This was his first real connection with nature and oil painting, in which he immediately saw the potential and showed his talent, despite the difficult style of art we are talking about. The 'Alla Prima' (Italian: first time, first attempt) approach was very attractive to him, because of its immediacy, its authenticity and its expressiveness, but it was also a real challenge, as it required an artist who would not compromise.

Why are landscapes so important to me?

When I myself observe the landscape, the first thing that happens is that it triggers a feeling, a mood. This first thought is what interests me the most; to capture this vitality, momentum and the variety and colour of the scene itself, while of course I also have to focus on creating the emotional framework that is so defining for me. This is often a very difficult task. Sometimes it is difficult to control inner impulses and motivations. At this point, I have to be brave, stepping out of my comfort zone, because once I do, a whole new direction begins. Since I don't rely explicitly on the knowledge I have acquired over the years, I am constantly open to surprises. It's like dancing on a razor's edge. Sometimes I fail, other times I find completely new and unexpected opportunities. I think that's the only way to grow. The transitional mindset stops and instinct takes over. If I can keep this delicate balance, then the art is born.

Experience is slowly teaching me that it's better to think through potential problems before I pick up a paintbrush, so that I can trust my instincts and not overthink things. What is important for me is the courage to leave the safe, though sometimes boring, path and to 'stay alive'.

I also consciously strive to be constantly open to new possibilities and revolutionary methods and if possible not to be stuck at the same level all the time. In doing so, I allow certain new creative processes to take me forward...