Otto Kallir Collection of Austrian Expressionists Donated to LACMA

Austrian Consul Christine Moser (left) on January 11 at the event “How Austria Came to America”

On January 11, 2026, Austria’s cultural and historical ties to the United States were highlighted in Los Angeles through a series of closely connected engagements. At the Museum of Tolerance, the public event How Austria Came to America explored the lasting impact of Austrian émigrés through film and conversation, focusing on the legacies of art dealer Otto Kallir and composer Arnold Schoenberg.

These efforts coincided with the landmark donation by the Kallir family of more than 130 works of Austrian Expressionism to LACMA, significantly strengthening the museum’s holdings and further anchoring Austria’s cultural legacy in the United States. Furthermore the program underscored themes of exile, cultural transfer, and historical responsibility, while also drawing attention to Austria’s citizenship restoration process for victims of the Nazi regime and their descendants.