The paintings of Tibor Nagy are a testament to his dogged determination to clarify, to capture a vision informed by his life and his native land of Slovakia, by both the measurable and the abstract.
Since Tibor started painting in oils, he has explored the mysterious terrain between what can be measured by physical senses and what can be perceived only by emotions. His paintings are his true personal confessions where the emphasis is put on the emotional context.
At the beginning of Tibor's artistic journey, realism combined with abstraction was the direction which prevailed in his style. Later in the eighties he started to incline more toward surrealism, combined techniques and experimentation still searching for his own unique way of expression.
In 2005, Tibor finally painted his very first plein air. It was also his first contact with landscape painting and oil painting. He immediately saw a great potential in this form of painting and expression even despite the difficulty of this style. The "Alla Prima" approach seemed very appealing in a sense of directness, truthfulness and expressiveness while at the same time being a real challenge as it required an uncompromising artist.
Why the Landscapes are Special to Me?
When I observe the land itself, the first thing that happens is that it evokes a feeling or mood in me. And this very first notion is what interests me the most; trying to capture the vitality and rich diversity of the scenery while concentrating on the emotional context which is crucial for me. It is not that easy to implement this emotional context into a landscape painting. Sometimes it is difficult to keep the inner impulses under control. At this point I need some courage. An unknown territory starts beyond this border.
Since I'm not only relying on the knowledge I've gathered over time, I keep myself open to surprises. It's like being on the edge. Sometimes I fall and other times new, unexpected possibilities of expression and technique become available to me. Being constantly on the edge is the way I can improve. The process of thinking temporarily stops and spontaneity comes in instead. If I manage to maintain this fragile balance, a work of art is created.
Experience slowly teaches me that it's better to think of possible problems before taking the brush into my hand, not let myself think too much during the painting process, but trust my intuition instead. Having the courage to leave the safe yet often boring road and "stay alive" is what matters to me.
I also make an extra effort to remain constantly open to new possibilities and innovative ways, and if possible, not to remain at the same level all the time. In this way I give new creative processes the opportunity to carry me forward.
