Jason Kruppa is a self-taught, New Orleans-based photographer specializing in portraiture and conceptual photography.
A substantial portion of his photos were made with “instant film.” Kruppa uses the unique characteristics of this medium to recall the techniques and effects of early photography.
The first series in Kruppa’s portfolio, “Transformations,” explores the transition from what we see in an individual to the person they become before the camera. Images such as "The Traveler" and "The Dreamer" capture that flicker of the imagination when the artist’s subjects become something greater than themselves – archetypes connected to a longer timeline.
In his ongoing "NOLA Music Portrait" series, Kruppa reflects on the personalities that contribute to the culture and lifeblood of the city. From quiet moments in the studio to carefully composed on-stage snapshots, Kruppa's soulful portraits capture the broad range of musicians in New Orleans. Featured artists in the series include jazz luminary Delfeayo Marsalis, "Songbird of New Orleans," Robin Barnes, Folk and Blues artist Luke Winslow-King, and the "Queen of Rare Groove," DJ Soul Sister.
In his selection of works for Garden of Earthly Delights, Kruppa shows the the beauty of both the ordinary (natural world) and extraordinary (fantasy). For his color prints, Kruppa used Carlton Scott Sturgill’s installation “Garden of Delights”, a mixed media “house” made out of window panes and textile roses, as the setting for a series of images that combine the allure of the feminine and the desire for an alternate reality (i.e. dreamscape). Kruppa’s second set of images are reinterpretations of scenes found in Hieronymus Bosch’s famous painting often called the “the most famous scene of the underworld in all Western art” and the title of the exhibition. This series of photographs were shot with expired Polaroid instant film on a 4 x 5 camera and then scanned in high resolution before being printed.
In addition to his personal portfolio, Kruppa also works in editorial, advertising and curatorial. His work has been featured in publications including: The New York Times, Town & Country, Les InRocktupibles (Paris), Travel & Leisure, EDGE Magazine (NYC), CUE (New Orleans), Scene Magazine (Louisiana), and St Charles Avenue Magazine. Kruppa served as photo editor on the major biography LENNON: The Man, The Myth, The Music, published by Hyperion Press, and curated exhibits for the Louisiana Supreme Court from 2006-2011.
Kruppa began exhibiting his work at Claire Elizabeth Gallery in 2016.
Images Copyright, Jason Kruppa, 2018. All Rights Reserved.
