Hilma Af Klint, discovering a pioneer of abstract art
Hilma Af Klint, Pioneer of Abstract Art
Hilma af Klint is a pioneering figure of abstract art, whose recognition came late.
She began her career in 1906, before Kandinsky and other major figures. Her oeuvre, which includes over 1,200 paintings, is deeply spiritual, influenced by spiritualism, theosophy, and anthroposophy. Her paintings represent complex spiritual ideas and research. She remained secret during her lifetime out of the belief that her art would not be understood, but was revealed to the general public in 1986. Her work offers a unique perspective on the origins of abstraction and reevaluates art history. The architecture of the Guggenheim Museum echoes the design that Hilma af Klint's guides would have imagined. 
Why such late recognition?
Hilma af Klint's late recognition as a pioneer of abstract art can be explained by several factors:
The artist's desire to keep her works secret: Klint was convinced that her art would not be understood by her contemporaries. She therefore demanded that her works not be presented to the public until twenty years after her death. She bequeathed all her works to her nephew, on the condition that they not be exhibited until 20 years after her death. More than 1,200 paintings were carefully rolled up and stored in her studio.
Esoteric nature of her art: Klint's work was deeply connected to her spiritual beliefs, including spiritualism, theosophy, and anthroposophy. Her work is spiritual, and her artwork is a consequence of this. Her paintings, which sometimes resemble diagrams, are a visual representation of complex spiritual ideas and pursuits. This esoteric dimension could make her art difficult to grasp for a lay audience.
Art History Context: Art history has long favored a masculine and Western vision of abstraction, relegating women artists to the background. Art history has forgotten to consider her as one of the pioneers of abstraction. Kandinsky has long been presented as the creator of abstract painting.
Late First Exhibition: Although Klint died in 1944, her works were not presented to the public for the first time until 1986, at the exhibition The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting 1890-1985 at the Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA). It was from this exhibition that her work began to be recognized and studied.
The architecture of the Guggenheim Museum echoes the design that Hilma af Klint's guides would have imagined, according to the artist's notes: a structure articulated around a central spiral.
What spiritual influences influenced Hilma af Klint?
Hilma af Klint was deeply influenced by various spiritual influences, which shaped her approach to abstract art:
Spiritism : From a young age, Hilma af Klint was interested in spiritualism, especially after the death of her sister. She participated in spiritualist séances in order to communicate with the deceased. With the group "The Five", she indulged in automatic drawing sessions led by angelic spirits. During these sessions, she came into contact with spirits from another dimension, who encouraged her to learn automatic writing and painting. Klint felt guided by a force that literally dictated her creation. She claims that her paintings were painted directly through her, without any preliminary sketch and with great force.
Theosophy: Hilma af Klint became interested in Madame Blavatsky's theosophy and joined the Theosophical Society in 1889. Theosophy, according to which the universe is one, greatly influenced her artistic vision. Faithful to the principle of theosophy, Klint sought, through her art, a unity that pre-existed the origin of the world. She was convinced that reality was not limited to the physical world and that there existed an inner realm as true and real as the external world.
Anthroposophy: Her meeting with Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy, in 1908 marked a turning point in her career. Steiner introduced her to his own theories on art and influenced her later painting. After her meeting with Steiner, she ceased to take on the role of artistic medium and interpreted mystical messages in her own way.
These spiritual influences led Hilma af Klint to explore the invisible and create works that express a duality or symmetrical reciprocity. Her artistic world is filled with symbols, letters and words, where colors also have a metaphorical meaning.
How is Hilma af Klint an overlooked pioneer of abstract art?
Hilma af Klint is considered a pioneer of abstract art for several reasons:
Antecedence: She began abstract painting in 1906, preceding major figures such as Kandinsky, Malevich and Mondrian. In fact, Klint produced her first abstract works five years before the date considered to be the historical birth of abstraction (1912).
A large output: Af Klint created a plethora of abstract paintings and drawings. Hilma af Klint's collection of abstract paintings numbers over 1,200 paintings. Between 1906 and 1915, she painted a series of 193 paintings dedicated to the Temple.
The Originality of her approach: Her work is spiritual, and her artistic work is a consequence of this. Her paintings are a visual representation of complex spiritual ideas and research. She explores the invisible through her art, influenced by spiritualism and theosophy. She creates under the tutelage of higher forces, which is perhaps a way for these young women to legitimize their production.
Belated recognition: Hilma af Klint only received late recognition, with the exhibition The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting 1890-1985 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1986. Her works remained secret during her lifetime, as she felt that the world was not ready to understand them. She left her entire output to her nephew, on the condition that they not be exhibited until 20 years after her death.
Her interest in the spiritual, particularly theosophy, allows her to go beyond the restrictions of the physical world. She seeks, through her art, a unity that pre-exists the origin of the world.
Her work remained unknown for a long time due to its esoteric nature and her belief that her art would not be understood by her contemporaries. It was not until 1986 that her works were presented to the public, thus revealing her role as a pioneer of abstraction.
To continue your discovery :
https://www.beauxarts.com/expos/hilma-af-klint-prophetesse-de-labstraction/
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilma_af_Klint
https://www.centrepompidou.fr/fr/offre-aux-professionnels/enseignants/dossiers-ressources-sur-lart/naissance-de-lart-abstrait/hilma-af-klint
https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/fr/espace-presse/communiques-de-presse/hilma-af-klint-2