The pavillion of the Association of the artists of Karlovac (ULAK) 2005

Curator: Well, that's immediately striking. It feels so raw, like a forgotten corner of the world captured with an almost haunting simplicity. Editor: What you're seeing there is titled "The pavilion of the Association of the Artists of Karlovac," made by Alfred Freddy Krupa in 2005. It’s an ink drawing, pure and simple, that offers us a peek into Krupa's world. Curator: "Pure and simple" hits it on the nose. The lines feel so economical, yet they manage to convey so much—the texture of the trees, the starkness of the building. And the bareness gives a melancholic quality. What would you say it reflects about that time and place? Editor: Krupa was working against a backdrop of artistic institutions struggling to redefine themselves post-socialism. Associations like this were grappling with funding, relevance, their own identities. He’s using art to talk about how political environments shapes cultural landscapes and, ultimately, our individual perceptions. This pavilion embodies that precariousness. It's a physical and metaphorical structure on the edge. Curator: I sense an incredible patience in the details. Even in the sketchiness, the hand of the artist doesn't shy away. You mention it representing that liminal space and all this struggle… to me it represents this inherent beauty of endurance, it is not something perfectly stable, is rather something alive. What would you say makes Krupa’s technique significant here? Editor: Ink drawing can be seen as quite direct and unfiltered - and Krupa does not add any 'frills' in this picture. The drawing style leans heavily towards realism and is defined by fine lines. That focus highlights what is actually there—the bare bones, so to speak—of this cultural space. Curator: Absolutely, the artist's selection of material and use of thin strokes makes all the difference. This is just such a compelling and thought-provoking representation. Editor: Indeed. It leaves you wondering about the stories held within those walls and trees, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. Art is for sure the best conversation starter we have ever had as a society.