Location: Parnidis Dune

One of the more recent landmarks on the impressive Parnidis’ dune is set to catch attention: an attractive, almost moving statue of a man leaning towards the wind in the spellbinding background of the pastel Curonian dunes.

The bronze sculpture, built in 2018 by Klaudijus Pūdymas, recreates a scene of the famous French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s visit to Neringa in 1965. True to his existentialist fashion, Sartre was caught by a photographer Antanas Sutkus, deliberating the sand and wind in the mystical landscape of the dune.

One of the most iconic photo works of the author became a signature image of Sartre - and an inspiration to the sculpture. Lookin at a statuesque figure, one does ponder Sartre’s famous words describing his experience in Neringa: “I feel as if I am standing at heaven's door.” and “For the first time, the clouds are beneath my feet.”