About
BIOGRAPHY
Helmut Koller is mainly known for his colorful, bold and festive paintings of animals which are collected on four continents, America, Europe, Asia and Africa. 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, a gallery 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 "new pop" paintings in the United States in the summer 1999.
Until 2016, an art dealer in Paris, with galleries in Shanghai and New York, represented Koller’s art work and exhibited his paintings at major international art fairs.
Nowadays the rich and colorful world of Helmut Koller, appeals to collectors on four continents.
Chronology
1970 - 1973
Professional photography training in Hartberg and Graz, Austria
1974 - 1981
Official photographer of the Vienna Sate Opera in Austria
1980 - 1984
"FLIGHT OF FANCY," "Empfundene Bewegung," series of impressionist to abstract ballet photographs, Exhibited in Austria, Monte Carlo and
New York City
1980
"DIE FRAU ÜBER 30" & "LA FEMMES DE PLUS DE TRENTE ANS," book published in French and German by Edition Tomek, Monaco, won the Kodak Photo Book Prize, Germany,
Mr. Koller contributed photography and text to this book and was also responsible for Graphic design (layout).
1981
Very first series of nude photograph
December, move to New York City
Freelance photographer for clients like BUNTE, TV GUIDE, FORTUNE MAGAZINE, PEPSI COLA, STYLE & MEN STYLE, a. o.
ELEKTRA – Rache ohne Erlösung, book published by Edition Tomek, Monaco; won the Kodak Photo Book Prize, Germany
Text by Dr. Peter Dusek. Photography and and layout concept by Helmut Koller. Based on the still photographs of the opera movie "ELEKTRA" produced by UNITEL, Munich, Germany
1982
OPERA LIVE - The Vienna State Opera," Book published by Edition S, Österreichische Staatsdruckerei.
Text by Dr. Peter Dusek. Photography & layout concept by Helmut Koller 1982, Move to Palm Beach, Florida
1982 - 1988
Fashion photography for STYLE & MENSTYLE, German publication HOMAGE TO EGON SCHIELE, start of a 5-year mixed media project honoring the artist's idol and hero, Austrian artist Egon Schiele. With exhibitions in Miami, Chicago, New York, Germany and 5 cities in Austria
1988
Decision to give up photography and become a professional artist
1990
First figurative paintings (easel paintings) in acrylic on canvas
1992 - 1997
Start of a portrait series of historic American Indians, exhibitions in the US and Europe
1993 -1994
WE THE PEOPLE, a series of flag images in mixed media
1997
Start of the series of Animal paintings
1999
Founded the "Palm Street Art Studios", a West Palm Beach art district and artist group.
First Exhibition of Pop Animal paintings in the United States at Galleria di Sorrento, Las Vegas
2001
"MEMORY," special art object for an event benefiting the
American Red Cross, Palm Beach Chapter
2001
First sculpture "American Zebra" in bronze & paint first exhibited at Shared Visions Gallery Boca Raton, Florida
2002
Koller, one of only 25 artists from around the world was invited by Polo America to participate in a unique art exhibit. It was an awareness promotion for the sport of polo and its return to the Olympics. The exhibit took place at JFK International Air Terminal
2004 - 2017
Galerie Dumonteil & Helmut Koller start to work together. Since then, Galerie Dumonteil, with locations in Paris, New York City & Shanghai, China, has exhibited Koller's art work world wide.
2018 International art dealer, Franck Laverdin, exclusively joins, Helmut Koller Studio
Definitions & Quotes
KOLLERISM, is defined by the realistic representation of the form and the abstraction of colors.
"I am the creator, leader & only follower of my own art movement. Disciples need not apply!"
"Don’t let the esthetics fool you!
These paintings are powerful symbols,
for not agreeing with how things are."
"These paintings are iconic portraits of sentient beings, supreme beauties without a reference of time and space, esoteric manipulations of nature."
Bibliography
Catalogs
EGON SCHIELE - The Ronald S. Lauder & Serge SabarskyCollections
" Neue Galerie, Museum for German & Austrian Art:
pp 351, New York, USA
THE INTERNATIONAL ART & DESIGN FAIR at the Armory. October 2005, New York, USA
THE MOSCOW WORLD FINE ART FAIR at the Manege, September 2005, RUSSIA
HOMMAGE TO EGON SCHIELE
Exhibition catalog, 30 pages
"HOMAGE TO EGON SCHIELE,"
Romana Debski-May, Austria & Avanian Gallery, New York, 1990
“Kunst ? und ? oder ? Technick?.”
Edition Satchwell, AUSTRIA. 1992
list incomplete
Books
“KOLLER,” The Animal Paintings of Helmut Koller. Updated version, 148 pages, USA 2018
“HELMUT KOLLER’”published by Galerie Dumonteil on the occasion of the very first solo exhibit of the artist in China.Text in english, french & mandarin, Shanghai September 2013, 238 pages, 94 plates
“ANIMALS BY KOLLER” The Animal Paintings by Helmut Koller, USA 2010
PALM BEACH
Images by iPhone, a Palm Beach photo book,
74 pages
OPER LIVE - Die Wiener Staatsoper live.
Dr. Peter Dusek, Helmut Koller, Edition S, Austria. 1987
ELEKTRA - Rache ohne Erlösung
Dr. Peter Dusek, Helmut Koller
Edition Tomek, Monaco. 1981
DIE FRAU ÜBER 30 (german version)
LA FEMMES DE PLUS DE TRENTE ANS
(french version)
book published by Edition Tomek, Monaco, 1980
won the Kodak Photo Book Prize, Germany
Mr. Koller contributed photography
and text to this book and was also
responsible for the layout.