U.S. Bank Stadium Art Collection | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Louis Red von Koelnau was born January 8, 1924 in Chicago, the only child of Regina and Louis Glaenske-Koelnau, both artists. Five years later, the family moved to south Minneapolis, where Red attended public schools and graduated Mpls. School of Art (now Mpls. College of Art and Design). He did post-graduate work at the Royal Academy of Art in Stockholm, Sweden, which awarded him a Master of Arts degree with honors. During World War II Red served in the Merchant Marine and was under bombardment in the north Atlantic. Returning to Minneapolis from the war and a hiatus in Florida, Red established himself as a sculptor. His work was sold by several local galleries and then by an expanding list of galleries in many cities around the country which resulted in shipments worldwide. Although Red considered his non-objective and abstract sculptures to be his finest works, his minimalist bear studies continue to resonate with collectors of all stripes. The bear shaped honey bottles still found in grocery stores were designed by Red when he was commissioned as an art student. Red was an extremely hard working and passionate sculptor, always putting in full time hours, 6 days per week. His inspiration for his sculpture was always rooted in nature. On his day off, he would often go agate hunting. Many of the colors he used in his sculptures were colors he saw in rocks and gemstones. Red passed away at the age of 91, of complications of Parkinson's disease.