Showing His Mettle

Photo: Tina Gutierrez

“When I started making fine art in my late 40s, I wondered if anyone would ever care about the work I was creating,” says Paul Kroner, a Cincinnati sculptor. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I’d be included in an international exhibition in New York City.”

This weekend, Kroner’s work will be part of the 40th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Collective Exhibition at Agora Gallery.

Selected from a competitive international pool of  submissions, the Chelsea International brings together contemporary artists from around the world and offers a platform for emerging and established artists to present their work in one of New York City’s leading gallery districts.

Three of Kroner’s bronze sculptures will be featured in the international juried exhibition,
on view Aug. 1–15, in Manhattan’s Chelsea arts district.

“There is incredible art being made all over the world–including here in Cincinnati–but New York is still widely regarded as the mecca of the art world,” says Kroner. “Being juried into this competition in New York feels not only like an honor and a thrill, but also an affirmation of the time, effort, and expense I've invested in my work. It's also a tremendous motivator to keep creating.”

One of the pieces in the Chelsea show was also one of the works Kroner submitted to Summerfair Cincinnati for their Awards for Individual Artists. This past November, Kroner’s works were included in the the “Summerfair Select” exhibition at the Weston Art Gallery.

He noted some similarities between the two shows.

“It was both surprising and deeply meaningful – a real honor and confirmation that my work was being recognized and appreciated by a jury of respected art professionals,” says Kroner. “The financial award (from Summerfair) was also incredibly valuable because it went right back into my studio practice, helping me afford to create new bronze sculptures, which is an expensive process.”

The three sculptures selected for the Chelsea exhibition each represent a different point along the way. While they vary in subject and approach, Kroner says they are connected by a fascination with form, unexpected associations, and the simple joy of discovering where an idea might lead.

“My hope is that they reward close looking and leave room for viewers to bring their own experiences and interpretations,” he says.