ARTIST CARVES REMARKABLE PORTRAITS CELEBRATING LOVE INTO PRISTINE ARCHIPELAGO SAND
David Popa discovered a tiny archipelago when exploring Nordskot in northern Norway after finishing a massive earth mural in Iceland. The artist was immediately drawn to a gorgeous sandbank along the island's craggy edge. Could a new project be coming here? Even though he had never worked with loose beach sand before, he made the bold decision to try the medium.
The hug between two figures in Popa's most recent earthwork, Held, is a gentle celebration of love. The artist used natural materials like chalk and charcoal to create two distinct compositions, which he then carved in the sand. The grey rocks, yellowing grass, and blue waters of the archipelago encircle both pieces, creating an organic framing around the cuddling characters. Held, like Popa's previous works, pushes the boundaries of the conventional canvas by using the environment and its outlines as a reference for the artwork's appearance.
In a 2024 interview with My Modern Met, Popa stated, "Scouting locations is about hunting for resonance—finding areas where the landscape feels like an extension of the piece I want to make." As an artist whose work is inextricably linked to the land, Popa embraces ephemerality and even embraces it. After finishing an earthwork project, he takes a step back and waits for the ground to return to its natural state. He views impermanence as "honest" rather than lamenting or attempting to physically maintain his artwork.
"Life is short, brittle, and ever-evolving. In his interview, he went on, "Why should art be any different?" Because it will only endure temporarily, working with impermanence compels me and the audience to be present and appreciate the piece while it is there. There is a sort of lyrical fulfilment when the ground returns the effort.
Maybe that's why Popa found love to be such a powerful topic. Affection fluctuates with the moon's phases, much like any other feeling, whether it be pleasant or negative.
Despite the sadness associated with losing what previously existed, the artist seems to be saying that being loved—even for a little moment—is more significant than never being loved. In Popa's instance, he describes that love as being aimed at the sea.
"This wave of love struck me around the time of my 18th birthday. In an Instagram post about Held, he says, "I couldn't express it." I made an effort to evoke that mood as I travelled north to Nordskot. I'm attempting to depict a higher love in this piece, and perhaps you can sense it for a brief while as well.