WINDHOEK– The Art Association in Swakopmund is hold a memorial exhibition of artworks in rememberance of visual artist, Fritz Krampe, on Sunday.
Krampe is best known for his portrayal of wildlife and as a graphic illustrator,and also how he showed sensitivity in his paintings. Krampe painted directly from the subject. The exhibition celebrates the live of krampe, who would have turned 100 years this year, and it is the first time in 30 years that art lovers have a chance to see a full portfolio of his works.
At a very early age, Krampe was fascinated by animal behaviour as some of his forceful drawings was of gorillas and elephants in the Berlin Zoo. He came to Namibia in the early 1950s and painted large canvases in an expressionistic style. Krampe was unconcerned with the settings for his subjects, the action filled the picture. The animals are aggressively defined and the power of their presence is intensified by the very shallow pictorial space they occupy.
Krampe travelled through Africa, including Namibia, where he stayed more thn ten years and has soon drawn the attention of the international art market because of his fiction of wildlife.
In 1966, Krampe was attacked and killed by an elephant during his visit to India to study the Indian elephant in its natural habitat.
Krampe’s artwork are display at the Woermannhaus Gallery in Swakopmund until August 7.
The Art Association of Namibia would also welcome any donations that will be in favour of the art classes of the Namib High School, which celebrated their 100 anniversary in June.