Married couple 2020

Alfred Freddy Krupa made this painting, 'Married Couple', with ink on paper. Look at the sweep of these dark calligraphic marks – they remind me of roots, of bare trees in winter, or maybe figures, intertwined. The ink is diluted in places, creating these watery, translucent areas that contrast with the dense blacks. I can imagine Krupa working quickly, intuitively, letting the ink flow and pool on the page. It’s like he’s capturing a fleeting moment, a feeling, a gesture. I wonder if he was thinking about the relationship between two people, the way they support each other, grow together, but also maintain their individuality. There’s a sense of vulnerability here too, a sense of exposure. Painters are always riffing off each other, having conversations across time. For me, this piece speaks to the work of Franz Kline, but with a lightness and fluidity that’s all Krupa’s own. It’s a reminder that painting is about more than just representation – it’s about feeling, about touch, about the joy and the struggle of bringing something into being.