Sandor Nagy - Confinement and Liberation

Confinement and Liberation

Nature Art Installation & Performance Art Project
Location: Talamh Land Art Festival, Kilmurrin Beach, Copper Coast, Ireland
Photo: Erika Nagy | Edited by Sandor Nagy

At the intersection of land and sea, I placed a canvas in the shape of a cross on the wet sands of Kilmurrin Beach. The canvas, symbolic of both boundaries and possibilities, lay with its edges weighted down by the damp earth. In the center, I positioned myself, rooted in the middle of this elemental space, and began to spin counterclockwise. The act of spinning, a cyclical motion, reflected both the pull of natural forces and human struggle.
As I turned, my movements became increasingly constrained by the canvas wrapping around me, a physical manifestation of confinement. The more I spun, the tighter the canvas wound around my body, eventually immobilizing me, and leaving me bound and unable to move. This physical entrapment mirrored an inner psychological journey, a confrontation with the limits we impose upon ourselves or that the world imposes upon us.
The performance reached its climax when I could spin no longer, stuck in the middle of the cross, captured by the very material that had initially seemed so open and expansive. The piece explores themes of freedom, confinement, and the cycles of life - how the very actions we take can sometimes entangle us, yet through this entrapment, we can find a moment of stillness, reflection, and perhaps, liberation.

Thank You to the Organizers of Talamh Festival

As an invited artist, I am deeply grateful to the organizers of the Talamh Festival for the opportunity to present Burden of the Tide at Kilmurrin Beach, Copper Coast. The stunning landscape and powerful forces of nature provided the perfect backdrop for this work, allowing me to explore themes of struggle and release. Thank you for creating such a meaningful space for art to connect with the land and for your support throughout the process.