The tree and the Edison Cinema 2015

Alfred Freddy Krupa made this ink drawing, titled 'The Tree and the Edison Cinema,' with bold, spontaneous marks on paper. Just imagine the artist, brush in hand, coaxing the ink to perform! It's all blacks, whites, and grays, an exercise in tonal range as much as mark-making. I feel like he might have been thinking about Chinese calligraphy or ink wash painting when he made it, nodding to a tradition where each stroke carries weight and meaning. See how the ink bleeds and pools, creating these unexpected textures? It's like the medium is collaborating with the artist, pushing back and adding its own voice. The ink is thin in some places and thicker in others, making it feel alive. That swooping line that defines the tree trunk has real presence. It’s both a physical form and a kind of gesture, echoing the abstract work of Franz Kline, who also wrangled the possibilities of black and white. Artists are in a perpetual dialogue across generations, riffing off each other's moves, and pushing the conversation forward. Painting is like thinking out loud, but with materials.