In his 1,200-square-foot studio, Paul Kroner, an award-winning contemporary visual artist, has been meticulously at work creating and curating his latest art exhibition, “What Have I Done?” – his 25th exhibition and first solo show at the gallery, Studio Kroner.
Kroner’s exhibition has been a work in progress since he purchased the studio in 2021. Over the past five years, the artist-run gallery has hosted a mirage of exhibits featuring more than 50 visual artists as well as poets, writers, performers and more.
“I’ve never done a feature show for myself, and I thought I could do the 5th anniversary and the 25th featured show,” the University of Cincinnati graphic design grad said, adding that he felt like it was “OK for me to do a show for myself.”
What has Paul Kroner done? How the gallerist draws inspiration
At his core, Kroner is an artist and maker. For him, “to create is to question,” and his “What Have I Done?” exhibit isn’t meant to be answered; it’s an open inquiry about making, responsibility, and what it means to build something for others while continuing to listen to your own inner life.
“I’d like to think of the art as the tip of the spear for conversations about the world at large, and that hopefully, the art on the walls holds spaces for conversations that are sparked by the art and help bring people together, so that’s what has sparked this for me.”
The exhibit showcases close to 50 pieces of art, some of which he began working on in 2020, as well as his recent works, which he hopes will “enlighten people visually and intellectually.” In fact, one of the sculptures he began working on in late 2024 was completed on April 11, 2026.
“Most of (the exhibit’s) work is in that time frame, (but) to put together the show is a lifetime,” he told The Enquirer. And a lifetime, indeed, as he’s shown his work in the studio shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic (before he owned it).
Before Kroner bought the studio in 2021, it was owned by Dick Waller and dubbed Dick Waller’s ArtPlace. Kroner was Waller’s last show in the space, which opened Feb. 20, 2020, a mere weeks before the world shut down.
“I spent a year working on that and it was shut down in a week,” he said.
Then, Kroner said during the first night of the George Floyd protest in Over-the-Rhine, the studio’s window was broken and a piece of his artwork that he’d created in Italy had been stolen. Another piece of his work was also broken in the aftermath.
“This place got boarded up and my work sat here,” he said.
Kroner eventually bought the space after Waller retired and from there, the work never stopped. Kroner spent the fall of 2020 and most of winter into the spring of 2021 preparing because the space couldn’t be opened. He held a soft opening on April 15, 2021, with the “real opening” occurring in May.
So, in a way, Kroner’s “What Have I Done?” exhibit is a full-circle moment. He even shared that if he could go back in time to five years ago and tell his past self what he’s up to now, he would be “blown away” by what he’s accomplished and the art he’s created.
“There are a lot of people who know me primarily as a gallerist. Since I’ve opened the gallery, they’ve come in and it’s been ‘Paul the gallerist,’ so I’d like for (patrons) to really understand that this is a working, studio-hand gallery and I’ve been producing and I have been for a long time.”
What’s next for Kroner?
It seems like a simple question and an interesting one for the artist, who titled one of his pieces “What Comes Next,” but as for what lies ahead, Kroner’s not too sure.
One thing he does know, though, is that he needs to “take a little bit of a rest” as it’s been a “very active five years.”
“I don’t know what’s next,” he said. “That’s part of the thing. I never really know what’s next. I never knew these things were going to happen. I’m just looking forward to having some time to get back to some basic practice of creating without intent for anything. Creating without trying to put on a show and sort of loosening the pressure because that’s where the good stuff happens.”
Although Kroner isn’t sure what’s next, he has an idea of where he wants his art to go next: public spaces.
The Liminals portion of his exhibit, which features bigger sculptures, is a “whole new visual language” for Kroner. He aims to get the smooth-curved sculptures (which Kroner worked with an auto body shop to get the glossy finish) cemented in a public space.
“That’s a whole new venture for me to try and get into public art because I’ve not done that before. So, that’s really a thrust of my moving forward,” he shared.
See the ‘What Have I Done’ exhibit for yourself
The “What Have I Done?” exhibit, which Kroner described as a “must-see show,” kicked off April 16, at his studio on 130 W. Court Street. The exhibit will remain up until May 23.
His studio is typically open from 12-5 p.m. on Thursday-Friday and 12-3 p.m. on Saturday; however, he plans to extend the opening hours during the exhibition showing. Patrons can also contact Kroner to visit the studio. Visit studiokroner.com for more.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Paul Kroner showcased in first solo exhibit, ‘What Have I Done?’
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
