Artist of the Month December 2019

Alfred Freddy Krupa

Karlovac, Croatia

Alfred Freddy Krupa (1971) graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts (ALU)  in Zagreb in 1995. After receiving a post-graduate scholarship from the Government of Japan, he perfected ink painting at Tokyo's Gakugei University in 1998. He exhibited his works in water-based painting techniques on all continents and has received numerous awards all over the world. He taught at schools, high schools and universities, and has led numerous drawing schools and art workshops. He is one of the initiators of the global New Ink Art painting movement. In 2019, the world's most largest art database Artfacts ranked him among the ten leading contemporary masters of ink painting.

How and when did you start creating art?

I am born in the family of artists. my grandfather and my first mentor Alfred Krupa Sr. (Alfred Joseph Kruppa, Mikolow, Poland 1915 - Karlovac, Croatia/Yugoslavia 1989), the former pupil of Józef Mehoffer was one of the 13 core artists of the Art of Croatian Antifascist Movement (he exhibited at the historic first Partisan exhibition held in Topusko in 1944 on the free territory of Yugoslavia) and founder of the Watercolor Biennal of Yugoslavia (BAJ,1979). In late 1980’s I started serious study of painting under his guidance. Later I studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zageb (ALU, est. 1907).

What media and genres do you work in?

As an artist with diploma in painting from distinguished art institution I am educated in most of the traditional media and genres, along art theory, sociology of art and other theoretical subject. In first I was focused on expression in portraits (in all techniques) and watercolor in particular. All traditional and new merges genres. In the same time I studied ink painting and today it is the main focus of my artistic research. That includes Sumi-e ink painting, Minimalism, Informalism, Symbolism, Expressionism, Contemporary Figuration and creation of one new original amalgamated style and approach.

Who or what are your influences?

As previously mentioned it was my family heritage. Art is part of my earlier memories in life, part of my formative years. That is of pivotal importance. Later on, during my university study I have become familiar with amazing works of many old and new masters. Of the West and the East. Other major formative force(s) for the morphology and expression of my art are life experiences, life conditions, social and personal surrounding. All that significantly change my choice of colors, motives, the way how I draw.

What was your inspiration for Kupa River in Ladesici?

This summer I and my wife was invited by my old friend and his wife to spend a weekend with them in the village Ladešići. This village is located on the beautiful Kupa river on Croatian-Slovenian border. Depicted scenery is the real one. I wanted to show both contemporary Minimalism (with a very few shades and lines to express everything, synthesis after analysis) and Informalism (a variation of a line is for itself sufficient motive and reason to draw) merges. When I saw the river at the time I just knew that this is it. And that the work will be one of my best. I felt it. Lets say that I was genuinely inspired and motivated!

Describe your creative process?

It is simple or complicated, depending on ones point of view. If we look on my New Ink Art movement work it is very quick and energized. Before I start to pull the ink lines of sensitive paper I must feel or have clear mental image of future completed work. On this place I must underline that I am not focused on superficial final effect but on process of creation itself. If something unexpected happens I must know how to immediately interpolate that in my expression, in order to transform a mistake into sort of advantage in this specific process of creation. But always I must have either peace in me or sort of anger. In both way expression if strong and the most important of all a genuine one. Often I cannot recall the time and events during drawing or painting.

What are you working on currently?

I am developing my personal and western expression and contribution to the more and more interesting New Ink Art movement. I am testing various techniques and combination of techniques both outdoors and indoors. All motives. Or simply imagination. Beside that I am in final stage of publication of my new bi-lingual book (English and Croatian) "Think!". It is selection of my instructions and contemplations about art in general and water based techniques.

What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

Very frankly I would like to see my works hanging in major biennale and in major museums of contemporary art. My works are already present in a number of public collection but there is a huge space for progress. The same is with exhibitions, now there will be around 100 exhibitions (since 1990) in my resume, but still there are very important international exhibitions where my works can be presented to those interested in my art language.

Where can people view/purchase your work (gallery, website, etc)?

My works can be seen at the WikiArt the visual art ancyclopedia. Over there one can research over 600 examples (currently) of my work in various disciplines (from photography, painting, drawing, artists books, graphic and fashion design to conceptual works) from 1987 until this year. Number of works can be purchased at my agent in San Francisco – the Art Acacia Gallery including Artsy and 1stdibs . My works can also be bought at the Singulart – Paris and the Artfinder – London