Studio Kroner's opening show of the 2023 season features Korean-born and Portland, Oregon-based abstract expressionist Sunia Gibbs. Sunia will present her show, Vacated Spaces, from February 9 - March 11, 2023.
Sunia has been creating abstract art since 2012. She is a frequent visitor to Cincinnati, and her series "Vacated Spaces" exists to make the invisible visible, engaging the intangible and unseen in the city of Cincinnati.
"When I visit Cincinnati, I pay attention to the vacated and void spaces. The brick buildings, the narrow paths between buildings and structures, and abandoned spaces. In this series, I explored what is being communicated nonverbally by our environment and how we are profoundly interconnected, making these spaces and silences visible."
In addition to her work as an artist, Sunia is also the Lead Pastor and Executive Director of The Groves Church in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Portland. She is also a singer-songwriter whose work focuses on social justice and faith. As a pastor, artist, and abolitionist, Sunia creates from conversations and experiences, drawing attention to the tension and disparities experienced on the ground. She is committed to the work of racial equity through abolishing systems that cause harm while creating structures and spaces for healing and connectedness.
"Sunia's sensitivity and keen awareness resonate in her paintings," says Studio Kroner owner Paul Kroner. "She possesses a true gift for expressing complex emotions through bold mark making and color, translating her observations into felt experience.”
Sunia Gibbs: Vacated Spaces, February 9 - March 11, 2023
Opening Reception: 6-9 pm, Thursday, February 9
Artist Talk: 1-2 pm, Saturday, February 11
Studio Kroner is artist/designer Paul's creative hub, and a space for other artists to showcase their work; for the communal experiences of book readings, concerts; and private events. Studio Kroner is located at 130 West Court Street.
Photo Credit: Sunia Gibbs