KOLLERISM: Vivid & Wild,” by Helmut Koller Spotlight EXHIBITION OPENING
Date and Time
- Thursday, Dec 3, 2026 6PM - 8PM
Location
Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square
51 N Swinton Ave
Details
This winter, the Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square welcomes internationally acclaimed artist Helmut Koller for KOLLERISM: Vivid & Wild, a Spotlight Feature Exhibition.
Featuring a selection of 10 paintings, the exhibition showcases Koller’s signature style of vibrant, larger-than-life animal portraits. Known for his bold colors and festive compositions, Koller transforms familiar creatures into striking works of art that celebrate beauty, individuality, and the natural world.
Meet the Artist Behind the Color
Koller’s artistic journey is as remarkable as his paintings. Raised in the Austrian countryside, he first trained as a photographer before becoming the official photographer for the Vienna State Opera, where he photographed legendary performers including Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Leonard Bernstein, and Rudolf Nureyev.
After years behind the camera, Koller turned his creative vision toward painting. He eventually moved from Europe to Manhattan and then to Palm Beach, Florida, where he continues to create and attract collectors around the world.
Koller describes Kollerism as the combination of realistic form with the abstraction of color—a distinctive approach that gives his animal portraits their unmistakable energy and personality.
Admission: $5 donation
Meet-and-greet with Helmut Koller
Exhibition Dates: December 3, 2026–March 21, 2027
“We are excited and honored to welcome to the Cornell the spectacular art of Helmut Koller, who transformed a life shaped by light into a world ablaze with color! From the grandeur of the Vienna State Opera to the boundless ambition of America, his journey is one of perpetual reinvention—capturing icons through his lens, then giving animals a new mythology through paint. His bold, festive works transcend borders and cultures, celebrating the extraordinary beauty of the natural world with a distinctly human sense of joy, elegance, and wonder.”
— Marusca Gatto, Cultural Arts Director, Cornell Art Museum
Make an evening of it and discover KOLLERISM: Vivid & Wild in the heart of Downtown Delray Beach, then explore the galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and vibrant nightlife that make the Village by the Sea a destination for art and culture.