Plunge 2020

Editor: This ink drawing, "Plunge," by Alfred Freddy Krupa, created in 2020, really strikes me with its dynamic energy. The contrast between the stark black and the swirling grey lines is quite captivating. What's your perspective on this piece? Curator: For me, the real intrigue lies in the artistic process. The application of ink - look at those thick, gestural strokes and then the controlled, almost frenetic, circular motions. How does the choice of ink as a medium impact your perception, knowing its historical roots and inherent qualities? Editor: I hadn't considered the historical aspect deeply enough. The simplicity of ink almost makes it feel immediate, raw, connected directly to the artist's hand, not mediated by complex industrial processes. Curator: Precisely. Consider the cultural implications of that choice. Ink has centuries of tradition, particularly in East Asian art. Does Krupa engage with or challenge that history through his abstract style? Is it reverence, subversion, or something else entirely? Furthermore, how do you think the "abstract" style helps make statements on labor when the act of production becomes the focus? Editor: That's a compelling point. By stripping away representational subject matter, it throws the material and the artist’s mark-making into sharp relief. It becomes less about *what* is depicted, and more about *how* it’s depicted. I think it also makes me think more deeply about the relationship between effort and product - how is he expending his labor, and what object is it creating? Curator: And isn't that revealing? Think about what the artist decides to show you about the making of "Plunge" versus a finished painting with no visible process. Editor: I agree. Now I am beginning to understand that the focus on the materiality draws attention to the artistic creation's process and background as much as the work itself.