Tibor Nađ was born in 1952 in Novi Bečej. He graduated from the School of Applied Arts in Novi Sad in 1973. His work spans painting, industrial design, and unique ceramics.
He has been devoted to painting since his early youth, continuing even after his professional orientation toward design. For him, painting is a form of spiritual affirmation and a vital need, as pure design, reduced to abstraction and the play of form and mass, is not sufficient. He believes that pure form cannot convey the romanticism of inner experiences or the ethical dimension of moral judgment.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, his oeuvre does not reflect a distinct phase of informalism, constructivism, or other similar movements. For Nađ, painting always remains a painting in the classical sense, rather than an object or a construction.
His earlier exhibitions already showed a homogenous and recognizable style that, despite his youth, revealed seriousness and maturity. His works, even when created with lighter tones, carried a certain melancholy and subdued expression, often clouded even in moments of depicting sunlight.
Today, Nađ’s opus can be viewed through various thematic and stylistic layers that could be interpreted as retrospective stages: psychological portraiture, expressionism, surrealism, hyperrealism, and new figuration. Yet, this diversity does not arise from searching or experimentation, but from the richness of an artistic spirit filled with thoughts and emotions. His painting develops naturally, in parallel layers, much like nature itself, which does not tolerate monotony.
His works reflect an eruptive force, similar to a volcano from which restless flames, stones, and calm lava emerge simultaneously. Behind every painting, even the most tranquil one, lies a strong inner explosion.
The hallmarks of his art are honesty, sincerity, and spontaneity. His works avoid theatricality, superficial charm, or false effects. His landscapes are always personal, and his portraits simultaneously reveal his own perspective as an artist. This is most evident in his double portraits and genre scenes.
Despite the diversity of his styles and themes, each painting reflects a personal stance—toward the subject, and toward art itself. It represents the explosive drive of a romantic soul that believes in the triumph of good over evil.
As Dr. Laslo Pataki wrote in 1984, Tibor Nađ’s art embodies sincerity, depth, and faith in the future. It is our hope that he will carry this belief into many more works yet to come.
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