Helmut Koller Biography

Helmut Koller is mainly known for his colorful, bold and festive paintings of animals which are collected on two continents,
America and Europe. Koller grew up in the beautiful Austrian countryside. After completing his training as a photographer
and a brief professional detour to Germany he became the official photographer for the Vienna State Opera back home
in Austria.

For seven years he photographed superstars like Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Leonard Bernstein and Rudolf Nurejev.

Within that period Helmut Koller co-wrote, photographed and designed his first book called WOMEN OVER 30. Two more books
followed. ELEKTRA, about the movie production of the Richard Strauss opera and OPERA LIVE, a coffee table book about the
Vienna State Opera.

Feeling confined in Europe and eager for the ambition of America, Koller moved to Manhattan then Palm Beach, Florida where
he now resides.

In 1987, with his first collection of paintings, "Homage to Egon Schiele", Koller made the transition from photography to painting.
The artist then turned his interest to historic portraits of the Native Americans. Figurative paintings in acrylic on canvas followed.
Since the beginning of 1997 Koller is working on a series of colorful animal paintings.

In summer 1998 Suppan Fine Arts in Vienna, Austria showed these new paintings for the very first time at an exhibition.
Galleria di Sorrento at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas premiered these super realistic pop paintings in the United States in the
summer 1999.

Since spring 2004, Galerie Pierre M. Dumonteil of Paris represents Koller’s art work exclusively in Europe and exhibits his
paintings at major international art expos.