Alfred Freddy Krupa

Krupa's work has attracted public and professional attention from the beginning. For the first time his name was introduced to the general public in 1990 at the then mega-popular Yugoslav weekly[28] "Vikend/Weekend".[29] In the same year his first solo exhibition was held.[30] At that time Freddy (as the younger Alfred chose to be called, so as not to be confused with his mentor) painted aquarelles, following in his grandfather's footsteps (Karlovac Lexicon (pg.241, Školska Knjiga and Edicija Leksikon, 2008).[31][32]

Since the early 1990s A.F. Krupa exhibited frequently and geographycally spanning from Europe, through Central and East Asia, Australia to North and Central America.[33] His works has been presented on multiple occasions together with artists such as Edo Murtić, Miroslav Šutej, Ivan Kožarić, Marijan Jevšovar, Mersad Berber, Đuro Seder, Ana Sladetić, Marino Tartaglia, Josip Vaništa,[34] Vlaho Bukovac, Bela Čikoš Sesija, Dario Ortiz, Liu Yi[35] and many others.[36][37][38][39][40][41][42]

"Freddy's chromatic and formal artistic reduction followed the approach of the East, where the entire drawing is often reduced to a single continuous movement. The painted line represents the flow of the artist's thoughts and emotions at the moment. Freddy began to interpolate this with the expressionism and Art Informel of the West, and once again created uniqueness in artistic style, gaining international acceptance and recognition from the United States to China" (A.Vranković, Overcoming A Personal Holocaust, Life As A Human, Canada, 2019).[43]

Alfred Freddy Krupa has been extensively researched by The Allgemeines Kunstlerlexikon (AKL) - World Biographical Dictionary of Artists.[44] AKL in its article writes about the artist: "In his manifesto (New Ink Art Manifesto, 1996, publ. 2019) Krupa describes his ink painting as an interpretation of western modern art with the means of East Asian ink technique, as a combination of contemporary painting and traditional Chinese-Japanese calligraphy. In this regard, he is considered the leading representative of Modern European ink painting".[45][46]

Chilean Arte Al Limite through writings of Francesco Scagliola of the Italian Cultural Institute highlights certain aspects of Krupa's work: "It is an "imbalance" that is built around a series of oppositions. Sometimes it occurs by the content, as it happens for example in some of the wooded images in which it is emphasized certain elements that normally are not visible: the roots. This visible/non-visible choice demonstrates, in effect, the strong productivity of Krupa at the level of deep and symbolic significance."[47]

Dr. Jürgen Weichardt of Oldenburg Kunstverein considers that "in a certain way, Krupa's work is a bridge between the Japanese and European painting of today." (Jürgen Weichardt, Oldenburger Kunstverein, review of Contemporary Art at the 32.Festival Sarajevo Winter, March 2016)[48]

Author Milica Jović[49] in her article for New York-based Highlark Magazine wrote that "Krupa, the creator of the New Ink Art Manifesto, is considered the pivotal figure in the Western New Ink Art movement" (Highlark Magazine, New York, 2019).[50]

In the art monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa"[51] published in Zagreb in 2014 his work in ink has been described as "of vital importance for the global integrity of the Modern ink painting" and he as "one of the essential representatives of national and international present-day art, in particular of the New Ink Movement (New Ink Art)".

"Always exploring an amalgamation of various styles, as well as weaving different connections between scientific and artistic theories, he creates ink-on-paper works that reflect a minimalist, mathematical approach. Each of Krupa's pieces is spontaneous, raw, and direct, achieving a personal and authentic artistic signature" states MutualArt Editorial (London, 2019).[52]

Alfred Freddy Krupa is included in the 36th edition of Who's Who in American Art and in various important artist's databases[53] including of The Institute of Modern Art in Nuremberg (Institut für moderne Kunst Nürnberg)[54] and of the documenta[55] in Kassel. Documenta is recognized as the world's most renowned and debated international exhibition of contemporary art.

The watercolor sketch: My family is sleeping in the corridor of our apartment during the bombing of the city of Karlovac on 28th Dec.1991 (1991)[56] This is the only known work of art that was created during the actual event, ie the bombing of a city during the Croatian War of Independence 1991-1995. (the artist / then a painting student / was at that moment under a rain of grenades and mines fired at the city center from nearby artillery positions).

A small recent collection of drawings (1994)[57] First artist's book by Alfred Freddy Krupa, only 100 pieces have been created. Collected by the Library of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MSU) in Zagreb and others.[58]

Portrait of Karlovac Mayor Ivan Benić (1994)[59] Oil on canvas. Very first official portrait of a mayor in the history of the city. Collected by the Office of the Mayor of Karlovac.

A view through the promenade (1995)[60] Sepia and turkey feather. Collected by the City Museum of Karlovac (GMK), Croatia. Referenced by The Karlovac Lexicon.

The old tower in Ražanac (2007)[61] Watercolor. Referenced in the monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa" (2014). Referenced by the Allgemeine Künstlerlexikon.

Two trees in secluded - to guess what opens the gateway between worlds (2008)[62] Modern ink painting. Referenced by the Allgemeine Kunstlerlexikon.

Old poplars (2012)[63] Modern ink painting. Referenced by the Allgemeine Kunstlerlexikon.

Radićeva street (2012)[64] Modern ink painting awarded at the 3rd International Exhibition of Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting in Anshan, China (2013). Referenced in the monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa".

Along the coast of the Adriatic (2012) Modern Sumi-e painting. Referenced in the monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa" (2014). Presented at the exhibition "With One Stroke" (2014) in the Orange Regional Art Gallery, NSW, Australia.[65]

Contemporary ink (2013)[66] Ink wash drawing.

Roots (2013)[67] Manipulated ink monotype. Referenced in the monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa".[68]

Expression of the present (2013)[69] Contemporary ink drawing with plastic pen on the medicine cardboard. Self-portrait. Referenced in the monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa" (2014)[70] and in a number of art magazines and other publications.[71]

Neo Minimalism (2013)[72] Ink drawing and collage. Referenced in the monograph "Alfred Freddy Krupa". Collected by the Library Special Collection of TATE Britain, London.

Hildegard Marie or Prisoner number 9772 (2014)[73] An artist book. Collected by the documenta archiv of Kassel, the records, and papers archive. Referenced by the Allgemeine Künstlerlexikon.

The tree on the riverbank (2014)[74] Modern ink painting (swan feather). By some critics the clearest example of the change in Krupa's expression after the clash with the corrupted Croatian judicial system.[75] Exhibited at 32nd Sarajevo Winter art festival in Sarajevo, BiH (2016).[76] Featured by a number of cultural media.[77]

Livre de Peintre or The 26 abstract moments (2015)[78] An artist's book composed of various segments of larger ink paintings. Unique object. Collected by the Franklin Furnace/Pratt Institute artist's book teaching collection in New York.

Five-minute street "pre-exhibition" - A look into reality (2015) In front of the entrance to the birth house, the Heinrich Palace in Domobranska Street No. 8 in Karlovac, Alfred Freddy Krupa performed a five-minute street 'pre-exhibition' of conceptual and interactive drawing-assembly. The drawing-assembly, which basically belongs to modern/contemporary ink painting and new minimalism and shows the 'Island Pag view of Velebit', with its metalized background draws the viewer into its world (thus becoming both conceptual and interactive) thus demonstrating the fact that no one has a completely clear and holistic view of reality, and thus no complete authority in its interpretation.[79] Selected for the 19th CEST IS D'BEST Zagreb Street Festival.[80]

The Dubovac Castle (2015)[81] Contemporary ink wash and plastic pen. Collected by the Art Al Limite Magazine Collection, Santiago, Chile.[82]

Self-portrait (2016)[83] Watercolor. Collected by the International Watercolor Museum in Fabriano, Italy.[84]

The tomcat from Posavina (2017)[85] Watercolor and ink (combined technique). Included in the collection of the Art Gallery of the City of Slavonski Brod. Presented at the exhibition 'Cat in Croatian Fine Arts from the 19th Century to the Present' (The Zlatko Prica Gallery)[86] in 2019.

A boxer who never leaves the ring (2019)[87] Ink wash and plastic pen. Self-portrait. Presented at the Krupa's exhibition in the Karlovac City Museum in Croatia in 2019.[88]

"Internationally Krupa is known as a painter of portraits, so among other things, he portrayed Croatian President Franjo Tudjman (1996) and Rwandan King Kigeli V. (2013)"[89] (AKL - World Biographical Dictionary of Artists Editorial, Berlin, 2014). In his photographic works, Krupa demonstrates the same minimalist approach and philosophy, placing the focus on composition and contrast.[90][91] In 2016, as invited speaker Alfred F. Krupa held a rare public lecture (by a painter) on Modern ink painting (and its European contribution) at the Dag Hammarskjöld University College of International Relations and Diplomacy[92] during the Days of Japan.[93] in front of Japanese and Croatian listeners.[94][95][96]

Krupas original works on paper can be researched at Tate - London (Special Library Collection),[97] Silesian Museum in Katowice (Poland), Modern Gallery, Zagreb, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts – Dept. of Prints and Drawings (Zagreb, Croatia),[98] Alfredo Guati Rojo National Watercolor Museum (Museo Nacional de Acuarela Alfredo Guati Rojo), Mexico City, Mexico), Office of thePresident of the Republic of Croatia (Zagreb, Croatia), Museo Internazionale dell'Acquarello (International Watercolor Museum, Fabriano, Italy),[99] Orange Regional Gallery (Orange, NSW, Australia)[100] and other public, corporate and private collections.[101][102]