Bird on the branch 1993

This painting of a bird on a branch by Alfred Freddy Krupa uses ink on paper, and I just love how few marks it takes to make this image! I can imagine Krupa making this painting in one go: a kind of calligraphic dance, trying to catch the essence of the bird with as little fuss as possible. The paint isn't thick. The brushstrokes are so controlled and fast, yet so wobbly and free. There’s some serious confidence on display! I wonder if he had other sumi-e painters in mind when he made this. What would it be like to try and make a painting like this? It looks so simple, but to get that balance between accuracy and gesture, observation and instinct? Tricky. It’s as if Krupa wants to show us that sometimes, less really is more. It's a reminder that painting can be as much about what you leave out as what you put in.