The other side of life 2019

Editor: So, here we have "The other side of life," a 2019 photograph by Alfred Freddy Krupa. My initial reaction is… it’s unexpectedly brutal. Juxtaposing natural beauty with something so starkly morbid is quite jarring. What do you see in this piece, looking beyond the obvious? Curator: Oh, but is it really "beyond the obvious?" Perhaps it is IN the obvious. It seems to be shouting a fundamental truth – that even in idyllic scenes, decay and death are vibrant parts of the cycle. It feels almost intentionally confrontational, challenging our romantic notions of landscape and beauty. It is what the fox knows, you see. Ever think about how pristine landscapes on postcards are like those flawless Insta pics that never show anyone's real morning face? The photograph offers you a genuine mirror to reflect into a deeper consciousness. Editor: That's interesting... I hadn't considered the confrontational aspect. It made me uncomfortable, which I now understand to be an intention of the work. So it’s not about just shock value; it’s a reflection on nature's totality? Curator: Precisely. And consider also the photographer's choices – the bright daylight, the sharp focus. No romantic twilight here! It is right IN YOUR FACE. Also, ponder where does the "natural" end and the "artificial" begin? What about that piece of wood besides the decomposing bird? Editor: So, this photographer wants us to consider uncomfortable truths lurking beneath the surface. All art really tries to get the audience involved in its meanings, no? Curator: The best art anyway! Ultimately it's an offering that might change our thinking, or even the very structure of the way we see and imagine things, for just a split second, maybe! What have you gained reflecting on this art, after all? Editor: Well, I will consider photographs with new depth, seeing how easily they might mask an inconvenient or poignant aspect of real life. Curator: Wonderful. Keep imagining beyond the picturesque. The world's beauty, even with its pain, it is all interconnected and meant to be truly *seen*.