Riverscape 2020

Editor: So, this is "Riverscape," a 2020 watercolor by Alfred Freddy Krupa, done *en plein air*. I find it so calming, almost dreamlike, but what do you see in it? Curator: It evokes a sense of watery memory. The colors bleed together, almost like a fading photograph, hinting at something just beyond grasp. What feelings arise when you focus on the ambiguous structures near the river's edge? Editor: I feel like they might represent lost stories or half-forgotten buildings that once stood there. The river's edge feels transient and a reminder of changing times. Do you see a similar symbolism in the colors, or the more abstract shapes that sit between the horizon and river? Curator: Precisely. Blue, traditionally linked to reflection and melancholy, dominates. But also the spiritual sky meets with earthy and carnal colours in the upper space, reminding me that there can never be an end. What stories do *you* think this riverscape is holding onto? Do you see some structures emerging to define the space beyond our awareness of reality? Editor: The loose strokes around the shapes, especially around the cloudy forms and sky, evoke the passing of time or fading memories. They speak of resilience and history embedded within our environment. Are there certain cultures or traditions you think this speaks to most strongly? Curator: I'd argue that landscapes by rivers transcend specific cultures. The rivers of this world, of course, appear heavily throughout religious creation stories, marking transitional boundaries. Regardless, rivers and water symbolize something more innate to humans everywhere: the continuous flow and our own fleeting existence in this never-ending journey. Editor: I agree. It is intriguing how such simple lines and color washes create a universal resonance! I'm more interested to learn how the painting reveals layers of history. Curator: It invites meditation on time and the impermanence of physical structures and collective memories we instill upon those structures. Editor: Thank you, I'll never look at a river the same way.