Old houses at the bank of the Kupa river 1999

Curator: Here we have Alfred Freddy Krupa's "Old houses at the bank of the Kupa river", created in 1999 using ink on paper. Editor: It feels stark, almost aggressively so. Like a memory struggling to hold onto its form, dissolving into the relentless flow of time. It makes me shiver. Curator: Indeed. Notice how the houses are rendered through dense, almost impenetrable black forms. Krupa isn't presenting a picturesque scene but is rather exploring the underlying structure. The geometric shapes create a powerful sense of solidity despite the watery medium. Editor: I’m seeing more of an echo here than pure geometry, honestly. The dripping ink…it gives the impression of these buildings weeping, or maybe reflecting in deeply troubled waters. Is it really about form, or more about emotional resonance? The landscape's there, sure, but transformed, you know? Curator: Well, think about the composition. The bold horizontal strokes divide the paper, emphasizing the flatness, the sheer materiality of the surface, negating any illusionistic depth. This reinforces the artwork as an object, not simply a window onto a scene. That feels incredibly modern. Editor: But that black! It dominates! Is this about the death of the village, or a vanishing way of life along that riverbank? Abstraction is a powerful vehicle for universal feeling, of course. I can’t help but wonder if the lack of detail speaks volumes about loss, or the unknowability of the past. Curator: Perhaps. Though by distilling the scene to its essential forms, Krupa achieves a timeless quality, moving beyond mere sentimentality or narrative. We confront not only houses but also the fundamental building blocks of representation. It's both a landscape and, daringly, a sketch of landscape. Editor: I guess, to me, this shows that even with what seems like a simple landscape drawing in ink, a dialogue of form versus feeling becomes super alive—a push and pull reflecting what art and living truly entail, right? Curator: Exactly. It underlines the fascinating tension that can exist when artistic skill confronts the raw essence of perception. Editor: Absolutely, I reckon this art, this very place, leaves a deeper impression for knowing it this way now, like an unseen echo in one's understanding.