Encounter 2017

This is "Encounter," by Alfred Freddy Krupa. Looking at it, I imagine Krupa was out for a stroll when he met this black cat. There's a blurry figure to the left - maybe that's the artist's shadow, or a friend? The cat looks alarmed. Its back is arched; every hair on edge as it stares down the lens. I wonder, was it the photographer or the cat who was more surprised by this meeting? The composition is simple and immediate; the perspective makes me feel like I'm right there. I can almost hear its hiss. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time. Like the work of other street photographers, this photograph reminds us that art doesn't have to be complicated to be evocative. "Encounter" embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings and meanings.