On the riverside of Kupa river in Karlovac 2022

Editor: So, this is "On the riverside of Kupa river in Karlovac," a 2022 ink drawing by Alfred Freddy Krupa. The stark black and white and the sweeping lines give it a very dramatic feel, almost like a scene from a dream. How do you see this piece, particularly regarding its connection to its place? Curator: This piece is fascinating in how it negotiates landscape art traditions. We see elements of classical landscape – the river, implied trees. But the artist breaks those forms down, creating almost an abstracted impression. Karlovac, as a place, has its own layered history – from Habsburg fortress to a modern Croatian city. I wonder if Krupa, consciously or unconsciously, reflects that fragmentation in this drawing. The "idea" of place here might be more potent than representing the site itself. Does the starkness feel connected to, perhaps, a memory of place, a lived experience beyond the merely picturesque? Editor: That's interesting, the idea of a fragmented memory shaping the landscape. It moves it away from a straightforward representation, doesn't it? Like he's not just drawing the river, but its effect. Curator: Precisely. It's playing with the visual language we associate with landscape and then disrupting it. Think about the political landscapes – the shifts in power, identity, and even environmental concerns that shape a place. The use of ink, too, feels significant, almost gestural – like capturing fleeting moments within a complex history. What feeling do you get about the overall form? Editor: There's a real tension, between something being destroyed and growing... The form also has flow which represents Kupa river which always finds its way through all kinds of difficult surfaces. I hadn't thought about all of that until now! Curator: Exactly! By embracing both representational and abstract elements, Krupa creates a visual dialogue – an invitation for viewers to reflect on the complexities of place, memory, and the politics of seeing. Editor: Thank you for shedding the light, it opens a totally new perception of the artwork.