Alfred Freddy Krupa

Alfred Freddy Krupa (born June 14, 1971) is a contemporary Croatian painter, master draughtsman, and book artist widely recognized as a leading representative and pivotal figure of the global Modern Ink Painting movement. His work is known for merging Western modern art principles with East Asian ink techniques and traditional calligraphy. Early Life and Education Born in Karlovac, Yugoslavia, Krupa grew up in an artistic family; his first mentor was his grandfather and namesake, the established painter and inventor Alfred Krupa Sr. (1915–1989). He graduated with a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting from the University of Zagreb's Academy of Fine Arts in 1995. In 1998, as the first Croatian painter to receive a Japanese government scholarship, he conducted postgraduate research on Japanese ink painting at the Tokyo Gakugei University. During the Croatian War of Independence (Homeland War), Krupa was a volunteer in the defense force, a dramatic and difficult experience that profoundly influenced his artistic expression. In 2005, he earned the formal title of "Professor of Drawing and Painting" from the Croatian State Institute for Education. Artistic Style and Career Krupa is renowned for his versatility, working in various mediums including ink on paper, watercolor, oil on canvas, collage, and digital art. His style ranges from abstract and geometric abstraction to surrealism and expressionism, characterized by bold brushwork and a modernist sensibility. Key aspects of his career include: New Ink Art Movement: Krupa is a pioneer of the Western New Ink Art movement, an approach he defined in his 1996 New Ink Art Manifesto. This manifesto describes his work as an interpretation of Western modernism using the methods of East Asian ink techniques. International Recognition: His works have been exhibited on six continents and are part of numerous museum collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Tate Library Collection in London. Awards and Honors: He has received numerous international awards, including the first World Award in Painting at the 13th Interartia Art Festival in Greece (2020) and the Order of Danica Hrvatska, a high state decoration from the President of Croatia, for his special contributions to culture (2023). Innovation: Krupa is noted for experimental techniques, such as a world-record-setting long ink drawing on raw canvas using swan and goose feathers, and an underwater painting cycle created by his grandfather, the inventor Alfred Krupa Sr.. Personal Life Alfred Freddy Krupa currently lives and works between Karlovac and Zagreb, Croatia. He is married to Ljiljana Krupa, and they have two children. He continues to be an active and influential figure in the global contemporary art scene, with his life experiences, including wartime and his family's artistic legacy, consistently shaping his authentic creative output.