525

For years, I have been preoccupied with the question of what true patriotism really is and what this concept means to me, as well as how it aligns or differs from others' perspectives. I wanted to understand how this feeling manifests in people's lives and what makes them think fondly of Hungary, no matter where life takes them.

In an open call, I asked people to anonymously share what patriotism means to them—whether it is a memory, a person, a place, or anything else. Many responded, and I ultimately collected 525 messages. I placed these thoughts inside ceramic seeds, which I installed in a sunflower head.

During the first exhibition, every visitor had the opportunity to take a seed from the sunflower and decide its fate: they could break the shell with a provided hammer to reveal the important and personal thought inside, or take the ceramic seed with them. The final shape of the work was determined by the visitors, as the absence of each removed seed continuously transformed the image of the sunflower. Initially, I planned to incorporate the remaining seeds into the sunflower, but in the end, not a single seed remained on the plate. Thus, the final image of my work consists of the empty sunflower head and the broken seed shells.

This project not only reflects the diversity and personal nature of patriotism but also highlights that each viewer has their own interpretation of this concept and chooses how to engage with it. My work and the exhibition create a sensitive space where these thoughts can emerge, and dialogue about them—and about us—can take place.