Falling Angels: A solo exhibition by Paul Kuntze

Paul Kuntze is a Berlin based contemporary painter whose practice is rooted in a lifelong fascination with classical ceiling frescoes. Growing up, his earliest encounters with art were defined by looking upward, studying the monumental paintings that once transformed churches, palaces, and museums into immersive, magnificent worlds. These early impressions continue to shape his work today, where reverence for historical craftsmanship meets a contemporary abstract language. Through his “Modern Fresco” series, Kuntze reinterprets the visual drama of Baroque ceiling painting with precision, restraint, and a distinctly modern sensibility.

Falling Angels, Kuntze’s debut exhibition with Square One Gallery, brings together a body of his latest paintings that depict celestial spaces filled with drifting clouds and fragmented human figures. Rather than presenting a fixed narrative, Kuntze allows forms to emerge and dissolve within layered atmospheres of color and light. Figures appear suspended in motion, caught between ascent and descent, suggesting moments of transition rather than resolution. The compositions echo the grandeur of historical frescoes while resisting realism, inviting viewers to engage their own imagination within the open, expansive space of the painting.

Across the exhibition, Kuntze’s technical process is central to the visual impact of the work. Each painting is constructed through successive layers, beginning with softly sprayed acrylic gradients that establish depth and luminosity. Thin, translucent clouds are built gradually, followed by thickly applied gestures that define figures and movement. This careful balance of control and expression creates surfaces that feel both atmospheric and materially present. Falling Angels positions Paul Kuntze as an abstractionist deeply engaged with art history while offering a contemporary vision of tradition, scale, and human presence within imagined heavens.

Opening Reception: February 20th, 6-9pm at Square One Gallery
On view: February 20th, 2026 - March 20th, 2026

For more information get in touch at:
info@squareonegallery.com
+1 314-252-8571