The other day I decided to spend the morning alone and frolicking about one of the frequently mentioned places in my blogs: the Guggenheim Art Museum. I heard there was a new exhibit up, and what better way to spend a Friday morning?
I had no idea I would discover one of my new favorite artists: Hilma af Klint.
Hilma af Klint was a Swedish artist and self-proclaimed mystic born in the mid-1800s. Her paintings are mostly abstract, geometric, and full of spirals and color. What drew me to Klint’s work at first was how perfectly she was able to execute such symmetry. I was particularly infatuated with one particular painting of hers titled “What a Human Being Is ” (slide 2 in my Instagram post). It’s a split pink heart with a gorgeous spiral through it, leading to a rainbow refraction at the bottom. This particular painting supposedly delves into abstract symbolism that explores the human essence. Most of her work is similar in theme, exploring the dualities of human nature. In much of her works, you can see her depict the feminine with bright, baby-blue colors, while the masculine is depicted with vibrant yellows. She uses much of her work to explore this dichotomy, along with several spiritual themes. I simply couldn’t get over how geometric her work was, how vibrant and feminine, yet so deeply in touch with the spiritual world.
Hilma was ahead of her time, painting abstract pieces even before Kandinsky or Mondrian. If I hadn’t been drawn to her work initially, I certainly was after learning that not only was she queer, but she was a spinster and what some would consider a “witch.” She belonged to a group of four other women, proclaiming themselves “The Five.” The Five would perform ritual seances together. One of those rituals was ultimately successful, one that occurred in 1906, and served as a catalyst for what she considered to be her life’s work: The Paintings for the Temple. These three paintings were among the last of 193 works she created during her life, considering herself to be the sole commissioner for these pieces as a gift to her spirit guides. The Paintings for the Temple also included several sub-series, such as The Ten Largest, Primordial Chaos, and The Swan (which I have a few pictures of below as well).
The Ten Largest was certainly something to behold. Displayed in a massive room inside the Guggenheim, these ten paintings explore the stages of human life from childhood to old age. They include countless floral motifs and bright colors. What I loved most was that I could really see each age within the colors. Childhood was a playful bright blue, young adulthood/adulthood vibrant yellows and oranges, and old age was a softer purple. They were phenomenal, full of spirals, and a sort of dream-like quality I very much enjoyed. I always love to see how artists go about representing the cycle of life in their works, and Klint’s work was especially exceptional.
Hilma was certainly ahead of her time, and she knew it, too. She specifically requested that her work not be shown until at least 20 years after her death. I mean, can you imagine a spinster woman in the 1800s talking about how she regularly spoke to spirits and painted more than 1,200 paintings for them? Unlikely.
Originally, she had wanted her work to be shown in a round building, where visitors could “progress” with her paintings along a spiral path. She wanted the nature of that journey to reflect her own with her spirit guides, and you can see how she draws on various religious imagery from Christianity and Buddhism but also Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and theology. Many have speculated as to why she wanted to wait for her work to be shown, most coming to the conclusion that the general public just wouldn’t have been ready to receive it since it drew upon such profound and complex ideologies. But it wasn’t until 1986, 40 years after her death, that her work was finally put on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
I was floored to have gotten the opportunity to experience her work in person. I felt such a kinship with her and her art style. I loved how she incorporated colors and shapes into her paintings, how she was able to depict her spiritual journey, and how deeply those experiences affected her. It was also nice to see another female artist who made such an impact. I find it funny how I’ve gone to so many museums, and each time I am introduced to a female artist who was supposedly “ahead of her time”, yet wasn’t debuted and instead overshadowed by the popular male artist names we know today. I’m glad they are getting the recognition they deserve, even years later.
Wherever you are studying abroad, I strongly encourage you to visit your local art museum and view the exhibits. You never know—you may find a new favorite artist!
DU Abroad 