"Quod est Inferius est sicut quod est Superius, et quod est Superius est sicut quod est Inferius" 2019

Editor: This is Alfred Freddy Krupa’s "Quod est Inferius est sicut quod est Superius, et quod est Superius est sicut quod est Inferius," created in 2019 using ink. The fluidity and the monochrome palette create a sense of dynamic motion, almost like figures caught mid-dance or struggle. What do you see in this piece, especially regarding its formal elements? Curator: The dominance of line is undeniable. Note how the artist manipulates the thickness and density of the ink to generate forms, foregoing traditional modeling techniques. This stark contrast between the figure and the ground destabilizes a clear visual hierarchy. The application isn't merely descriptive but, more critically, performative, calling our attention to the active traces of artistic labor. What do you make of that conspicuous circularity pervading its form? Editor: I hadn't quite focused on the circle before. It seems to both contain and liberate the figures simultaneously. Like a frame that’s also a vortex? Curator: Precisely! The tension derives not only from subject/ground relationships but in the piece's self-referential engagement with its form and the historical signifiers inherent to ink drawings. Is the "dance" constrained, perhaps an act of controlled expression? Consider that limited tonality... is something also absent here? Editor: Perhaps a sense of groundedness? They feel like pure energy, unburdened by gravity or even specific identities. Their abstract forms are more suggestive of states of being. The absence of detail makes me fill in the gaps. Curator: Consider the tension between spontaneous execution and considered composition. In this light, our aesthetic experience evolves, transcending straightforward mimesis towards abstract territories—one steeped in expressive potential and technical experimentation. A fruitful reminder of how a simple gesture can achieve multilayered complexity. Editor: This discussion highlighted how critical it is to not only acknowledge immediate emotive reactions, but to ground them in the work's construction and interplay of formal qualities. Curator: Absolutely. Scrutinizing fundamental elements reveals nuanced depths in even the most seemingly simple works.