Kottie Paloma USA, b. 1974

Kottie Paloma (b. 1974, Los Angeles) has carved a distinctive path through the vibrant art worlds of Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Berlin. Currently living in Vienna with his family, Paloma embraces the city as his home and artistic base.

His paintings explore society’s darker sides with a blend of humor, poignancy, and gritty realism. Influenced heavily by cave paintings and archetypal symbols, Paloma’s works serve as contemporary fossils—tackling politics, current events, solitude, and the nuances of human behavior. His art seeks to unravel the failings of modern society while celebrating the enigmatic, often comical nature of existence.

Paloma’s expressive lines and imaginative shapes aim to probe the complexities of physicality and, through this, deepen the understanding of emotional and psychological landscapes. His figures are simultaneously haunting and whimsical, inviting viewers to contemplate the paradoxes inherent in human life. Art historian Larissa Kikol characterizes Paloma’s style as a vibrant clash of forms and concepts, a chaotic yet profound fusion challenging audiences to engage deeply.

Recent solo exhibitions include Vienna Spark Art Fair (2025, DOD Gallery), A Melody of Madness (2024, Alzueta Gallery, Barcelona), Rare Works on Paper (2023, DOD Gallery, Cologne), Kottie Paloma (2022, Saatchi Yates, London), and Ominous, Slow Burn (2021, Andrea Festa Fine Art, Rome). His work has also featured in prominent group shows such as Saatchi Yates (Turin, 2021) and Mixed Pickles 10 (Ruttkowski;68, Cologne).

Paloma’s work is held in major public collections including Tate Modern Library (London), MoMA (New York), the United States Library of Congress Special Collections, Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, and others across the US and Europe.