"The Scream", "Ragnarok" or simply "Ukraine burning" 2022

Alfred Freddy Krupa created this 34 x 41 cm artwork in 2022 using the stark contrast of black ink on paper. The gnarly tree and scattering birds immediately suggest a scene of disruption, perhaps mirroring the artist's chosen title, "Ragnarok," a Norse term for the end of the world, or the more direct title "Ukraine burning." Made during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Krupa's piece employs visual codes of destruction and flight to evoke a sense of contemporary crisis. Its form alludes to historical precedents of expressive landscape art, and it serves here as a potent commentary on the social and political upheaval of our time. As historians, we might explore the media coverage of the war in Ukraine, the artistic responses it has generated, and the cultural narratives that shape our understanding of conflict. Art like this challenges us to consider the role of art in bearing witness to history and critiquing the institutions of power.