Old tower of Ražanac at Adriatic Sea 2007

Alfred Freddy Krupa made this pen and ink drawing, Old tower of Ražanac at Adriatic Sea, in 2009. Look at how the image is constructed with these repetitive vertical marks. It's like Krupa found a rhythm and just let it flow. It's a process of seeing and marking, a back and forth. Up close, you can see how the marks vary – some are thick, some are thin, some are dark, some are light. They create a texture, a sense of depth and atmosphere. And the white of the paper is just as important as the black of the ink. It's like the drawing is breathing, with air moving between the marks. Check out the area around the tower. The marks become denser, more chaotic, emphasizing the solidity and weight of the structure. This piece reminds me a bit of some of the early abstract expressionists, like Franz Kline, who were also exploring the expressive possibilities of black and white. But Krupa brings his own unique sensibility to the process, creating an image that is both abstract and representational, solid and ethereal.