Cole Harrell is an internationally recognized specialist in classical art from Africa and Oceania. Since founding Harrell Fine Art, New York in 2013, he has conducted sales, acquisitions, research and appraisals for clients ranging from private collections to leading American cultural institutions. Mr. Harrell has been featured or quoted in leading publications, including Apollo Magazine, Forbes, Architectural Digest, The Business Times Singapore, Traditional Home. He is the co-author of "Souls | Âmes; Masks from the Leinuo Zhang Collection", published by 5 Continents Editions, 2023. 

Since 2015, Harrell Fine Art has mounted continual programming centered around classical African sculpture; highlights have included "Mastering Worlds; Exploring Space and Scale in Tribal and Asiatic Art" (2015), "H; A Private New York Collection" (2020), "Past is Prologue I/ Past is Prologue II" (2022, 2023 and produced in partnership with Montague Contemporary, New York) and "FEMME" (2024).

Mr. Harrell is a co-founder of the Cheng-Harrell Institute for Global Affairs, and has been a trustee of the San Jose Museum of Art since 2020. In 2023, as a member of the World Monuments Fund Watch Committee, he oversaw the restoration of several 6th Century CE Hitis in Nepal, thus rehabilitating a portion of the Hitis for continued use by locals in the face of mounting water scarcity. Selected additional philanthropy include The Frick Collection, New York, The Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, Washington D.C.

Mr. Harrell lives and works in New York City.